Relying on workout DVDs may seem like a best option to keep fit without having to go outside. However, a new study has claimed that those DVDs may include negative imagery and demotivating language, which can be psychologically harmful for users.

As per the findings which are being published in the journal Sociology of Sport Journal, those fitness videos may be perpetuating and reinforcing hyper-sexualized and unrealistic body images, and most of them include demotivating and negative statements such as – “say hello to your sexy six-pack,” “you better be sweating,” and “you should be dying right now” – that could reduce the effectiveness of the workout and diminish the user’s hope and potentially cause psychological harm.

“These findings raise concerns about the value of exercise DVDs in helping people develop and commit to a workout program,” said Brad Cardinal, who is a national expert on the benefits of physical activity and lead author of the study. “There are a lot of exaggerated claims through the imagery and language of ‘do this and you’ll look like me.”

Cardinal urged consumers to be mindful when making these purchases and not to expect to get the same results as our bodies may respond differently to the exercises being shown.

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