As the silly season rolls away and with it the copious amounts of bubbly and decadent cakes – which have somehow found their way onto our hips – the new year has come to kick our butts into shape.

Raise your hand if somewhere among your New Year’s resolutions for 2019 there existed a fitness goal.

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You can try to deny it, but let’s face it: there’s a reason our gyms are more packed in January!

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Whether by choice or simply by constant overexposure, we are often getting “fitness advice” and “health tips” from beautifully sculpted people with a perfectly curated Instagram account.

Yet we are often being sold “workouts” by people who aren’t certified personal trainers (and whose form is questionable), and diet tips from people who do not necessarily hold the right nutritional background. Don’t even get us started on “detox teas” …

Now we’re not saying all the information found on Instagram (or indeed any social media) is manifestly wrong. We’re just reminding you to take the information with a pinch of salt.

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We’ve done the hard work for you.

Check out these five medically trained doctors and/or certified nutritionists who use their social media for good – to beat the myths and share more qualified advice to help us to achieve our health goals.

Who: Dr Hazel Wallace – @thefoodmedic 

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Excuse me, Are you stressed? Me too. Daily. That ding of my WhatsApp, those 100 + unread emails, that never-ending to-do list, that jam packed tube on the commute to work. Our modern lifestyles don’t make it easy on us, let’s be honest. However, not all stress is bad. Contrary to popular belief, a little bit of stress isn’t actually bad for you - if anything it is essential. In prehistoric times it saved our ass from a sabre-tooth tiger and now it saves from our ignoring our inbox (most of the time) or turning up unprepared to interviews. It’s the dose and frequency that matters. Too much stress over long periods of time can cause serious physical and mental health issues. So what’s the solution? In the latest episode of The Food Medic Podcast (OUT TODAY!) we hear from @drchatterjee author of The Four Pillar Plan and The Stress Solution. Rangan and I discuss stress, the concept of micro and macro doses, how to recognise stress and - most importantly - how to help alleviate and prevent it The podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify, and most other podcast providers. #thefoodmedic #hazelwallace #thefoodmedicpodcast #stress #healthpodcast

A post shared by Dr Hazel Wallace (MBBCh) (@thefoodmedic) on Jan 1, 2019 at 11:59pm PST

What: Wallace is a qualified doctor, bestselling author and health influencer. She also runs www.thefoodmedic.co.uk – a website which strives to be an educational platform to bridge the gap between “traditional medical advice and the latest thoughts and developments in nutrition and other areas of lifestyle”.

Why: From delicious-looking packed lunches and short workout routines for inspiration to more detailed explanations about diets and more, Wallace’s Instagram can be used as a stepping stone to further reading (and listening – she has her own podcast) as she marries medicine with the latest wellness trends.

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Who: Dr Joshua Wolrich – @unfattening 

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Just wanted to say to the few thousand of you that have joined in the last couple of days. Welcome to #teamnonutribollocks

A post shared by Previously @unfattening (@drjoshuawolrich) on Nov 28, 2018 at 12:19pm PST

What: Wolrich is a doctor and National Health Service surgeon in the UK.

Why: Wolrich’s aim is to call out “nutribollocks” by dispelling the myths about unproven diet “tips” in his Instagram stories and through helpful diagrams. He also offers tongue-in-cheek reminders that life is about balance. It’s OK to eat a doughnut every now and then and there are more important things in life than counting calories in every single vegetable.

Who: Dr Sarah Vohra – @themindmedic 

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I W E I G H | love everything about the @i_weigh movement. Seems even more poignant this time of year when we are bombarded with messages that suggest are self worth should be defined by the way we look, our dress size or what we weigh. I sense a change in tide and hope this transcends into my clinic room with the countless young men and women I see who continue to struggle with poor self image and self esteem due to societal’s high expectations. #iweigh #mentalhealth #mentalwellbeing #wellbeing #wellness #healthymind #mind #lifestyle #healthylifestyle #newyearnewme #newyearnewyou #selfcare #mentalwellness #saturday #saturdaymorning #twixmas

A post shared by Dr Sarah Vohra (@themindmedic) on Dec 29, 2018 at 2:22am PST

What: Vohra is a qualified psychiatrist, author and a columnist for the British health, nutrition and lifestyle magazine, Women’s Health.

Why: Health is not just about the physical side of life. Mental health is something which is often forgotten in our journey to find a better, fitter version of ourselves. On her Instagram, Vohra shares various tips and exercises to help identify and manage our mental health.

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Who: Megan Rossi – @theguthealthdoctor 

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I’m always talking about the trillions of microbes that populate our large intestine but did you know we also have a community of microbes in our mouth?! This community is known as our ‘oral microbiota’. .... Although only a new target of research, it turns out that our oral microbiota does a lot more than we’ve given it credit for. Not only do they keep the bad microbes in check preventing dental caries and bad breath, but they’re also thought to play a role in our overall health. .... A great example of this is their role in metabolising nitrates from food (like beetroot) allowing them to be absorbed and used to make a beneficial compound (call nitric oxide, NO) which supports health. Specifically, NO has been shown to help ⬇️ blood pressure in people with high blood pressure as well as support the health of our blood vessels. ... So how do we look after these guys? Apart from standard oral hygiene E.g. teeth brushing, and not over doing it on the added sugars , it’s too early to give specific recommendations. Although one interesting study reported that with each “intimate” we transfer an average of 80million bacteria. This makes me wonder, perhaps it’s not just our own diet and lifestyle that impacts our health, but our partners too? #choosewisely my girl @moments_by_frankie

A post shared by Dr Megan Rossi RD APD (@theguthealthdoctor) on Nov 11, 2018 at 1:06pm PST

What: Rossi is a London-based dietitian and specialist in gut health education. She has a PhD in gut health from the faculty of medicine and biomedical sciences at the University of Queensland, in Australia. She also has experience as a sports nutritionist.

Why: Through a beautifully curated page that would make key opinion leaders jealous, Rossi teaches all things about the gut – including busting myths.

Who: Kimberly Snyder – @_kimberlysnyder 

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Our Feel Good Digestive Enzymes are a total game changer! They work to improve digestion, to reduce gas and bloating, and improve nutrient absorption. Totally different than probiotics because they actually work on the food itself that you’re eating. Take them right before you eat with water and voila- more nutrients and less bloating!! Yessss ⚡️I got you! xx #CyberMondayAlert - Use code: 20%HEALTHLOVE for your discount today!

A post shared by Kimberly Snyder (@_kimberlysnyder) on Nov 26, 2018 at 9:00am PST

What: Not only is Snyder a yoga and meditation teacher and holistic wellness expert, but she has also worked with some of our favourite celebs, including American actresses Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington and American actor Channing Tatum.

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Why: Interspersed between photos of her doing yoga in the sunset and snapshots of her life, Snyder shares posts and wisdom on what it means to “feel good”.

She also shares healthy recipes that her clients no doubt also indulge in. If it’s good enough for Drew and Reese, then it’s good enough for us.

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