The Psychology Behind Fitness Scams

In this episode we continue our conversation with Mark Faries all about why it’s so hard to do the things we know we want to do—and why we keep falling for shiny shortcuts that promise big results with zero effort. Mark breaks down the psychology behind infomercials, fad diets, and “miracle” fitness gadgets using a simple framework that will permanently change how you spot misleading health claims. We talk about why things like the Thigh Master and vibrating belts feel so convincing, where a kernel of truth often hides in bad advice, and how hope gets exploited by marketing. The real takeaway? Your success doesn’t come from a product—it comes from you, and understanding that is incredibly empowering. If you’ve ever felt frustrated, duped, or stuck when it comes to behavior change, this conversation will make you feel seen and smarter about what actually works. To hear the rest of this episode, come join the Foodie Fam! Sign up for our newsletter here! Check out our book ! Chat with us on IG @foodweneedtotalk ! Be friends with Juna on Instagram and Tiktok ! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

You can listen to The Psychology Behind Fitness Scams online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Psychology Behind Fitness Scams is an episode from Food, We Need To Talk by Juna Gjata.

This episode is 03:58 long.

This episode was published on Jan 12, 2026.

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