Spotlight: DreamzstoryTV

DreamzstoryTV, a Youtube channel that gives fitness, workout, and nutrition advice, has risen substantially in popularity among the gaming community. An avid League of Legends player himself, Dreamz offers a unique personality that oozes of fun, humor, and passion that gamers and non-gamers alike can appreciate. Rather than the standard fitness or nutrition guru on Youtube, the young man from France has the ability to be seen as "one of them" to his viewers. He was once overweight and led a sedentary lifestyle but sought to change how he looked and felt.

According to Dreamz, this is his transformation:

Picture from his Reddit Page

His mantra is all about dedication; "every effort counts" whether it is a decision to take the stairs instead of the elevator or eat low-fat cottage cheese instead of junk food. His enthusiasm and motivation are refreshing and it is great to see someone giving back to their community. We need more people like Dreamz to show us that games are fun and all, but it is more important to keep our bodies healthy. Dreamz seems to be a success story, and his channel is no different. We can all work towards our goals and write our own story.

In his own words: "Eat Nerds Get Shredded".

For more about Dreamz, visit his Facebook page

                                                Youtube Channel

                                                Twitter 

Faking Before and After Photos of Fitness Testimonials REVEALED

I'm sure most of us take what fitness/diet advertisements say with a grain of salt. But, you may have looked at the before and after photos of such commercials and thought to yourself, "Man. He/she looks amazing now! Did they really follow this program or what?" Youtube user furiouspete123 sheds some light on what may actually transpire behind-the-scenes for those who are depicted in the remarkable shots in ads.
With Pete's theory, the photo shoot actually begins with the after-photo. The person (actor/actress you might say!) does some intense exercises to accentuate their muscles and blood vessels. Next, he or she gets a quick zap in the tanning bed. Then, after a couple of extra exercises, oil is applied to make his or her body extra shiny. Some good lighting, and (if desired) photo editing, and voila! you've got yourself a great after-photo.
The job isn't done yet. For the before-photo, Pete gorges himself with junk food, soda ("diet pop works better because it has more carbonation") and chocolate milk. He then snaps the photo, just under 5 hours from his after-photo. Pete looks astonishingly different; the transformation is a success. A look at the two photos and we can see that they are certainly misleading. On one side, a sullen and completely out-of-shape man; on the other, a handsome buff.

Hopefully, we'll all be a little more skeptical. Although it's likely that some testimonials are genuine, some are not. It's always best to get more information on the product and the people behind the product. Keep the three C's in mind:

1. Credibility-is the company trustworthy? do they have good ratings?
2. Claims- what do they say their product will do?can they back it up with objective and relative evidence?
3. Common Sense- think about it: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't (true).

My Preliminary Thoughts/Findings on SixPackShortcuts (Mike Chang)

 Lately, I've been seeing more and more of the Youtube channel sixpackshortcuts. Their channel is being promoted to great extents. I've seen it placed side by side with everything from football highlights to music videos. There are even advertisements on other websites, urging web surfers to see the fastest way to get six pack abs. So just what is the big deal with sixpackshortcuts and it's creator, Mike Chang?
Let's start off with the website itself, http://sixpackshortcuts.com/

Just what is sixpackshortcuts? Who is Mike Chang?

On the homepage, a video plays immediately with Mike Chang delivering a presentation of the sixpackshortcuts program. Mike claims to be a ISAA certified personal trainer. The basis of his invention is the after-burn effect. After-burn: The amount calories burned up to 48 hours after your workout. According to Chang, the program is designed to maximize after burn effect through weight training, high intensity cardio, and nutrition. (He claims to have learned how to get ripped abs from his personal trainer, "Zach", and personal research. He says that he has clients that pay him thousands of dollars for what he is giving you for free. He even goes on to say that he'll have to take down the video! Absolutely absurd.)

The 4 key variables he outlines are Resistance, Rest, Repetition, Intensity.

Sixpackshortcuts is split into 4 stages:

1. Making your metabolism more active and ready to make lean muscle.

2. Burn your belly fat.

3. Build up your core muscles.

4. Maintain physique.

Interestingly enough, the first testimonial in the sixpackshortcuts presentation is Dan Rose, who happens to work with sixpackshorts in at least one video, seen here. In that same video, Chang explains the "Top 3 Fat Loss SHORTCUTS". Before starting though, Rose opens by saying there are shortcuts to getting abs: working out, eating right, and "doing things in a smarter way to get results faster". However, ridiculously enough, the first "shortcut" Chang tells viewers is to "look leaner without actually being leaner". Obviously, that is not a fat loss shortcut. The second tip he gives us is "when you're doing your cardio, use your entire body instead of just half your body". This makes sense because you will burn more energy and lose fat. It's still a bit of a stretch to call it a shortcut. Some might call it common sense. The last fat loss "shortcut" Chang explains is to have back up plans, for both workouts and meals. Yes, having back up plans can certainly help you stay on track but frankly, it's a bit silly to call this one a shortcut.
A shortcut is:
n.

1. A more direct route than the customary one.

2. A means of saving time or effort.

The sixpackshortcuts system comes with his workout plans, eating system, and 30-day membership to Mike's Advanced Fitness Coaching Program (After the first month, there will be a recurring charge of $67 for five months if not cancelled within the trial period. Chang says members will get extra videos and the ability to email trainers/consultants.). The system is priced at a retail value of $491(I am not sure how this is calculated) but offered for $97 dollars. See it for yourself here: https://sixpackshortcuts.com/cart/

Conclusion:

In all honesty, what the sixpackshortcuts program gives you is decent. It appears to teach you how to lose fat without diet pills and ineffective training. However, a lot of the information they provide you is a bit common place if you are willing to do a little research yourself. It seems as though they use the term "shortcuts" as a marketing tool..although some of the advice they give are arguably shortcuts. The price tag of $97 is steep for me, especially when there are many free sources of information, such as Scooby's Workshop and arthlete.com. Also, high intensity workouts are not for everyone. Mike Chang stresses that the program consists of 30 minute workouts, 4 times a week, and that it is scientifically proven. It should be duly noted that his program is not scientifically proven, but the fact that high intensity workouts are proven to burn calories post-workout. Despite this, there are many ads that are displayed on Youtube that imply otherwise.

Note: The ad does not depict Mike Chang. Additionally, this ad says "Cambridge scientists"

Incredibly misleading, photoshopped without a doubt! Here it says "Scientists in China"!

Major discrepancy in the two bodies.