Getting ready to dive right into fitness and strength training means you need a whole lot of specialist goods before getting started, right? You’ve got to make sure you’re fully prepared for the journey you’re about to take on and, let’s be honest, not look like an amateur in front of your new gym buddies.

According to Roxie Jones, a nutrition and fitness coach, this is actually a myth and a lot of the things you think you need, you probably don’t.

Speaking in a recent Instagram reel, Jones discussed the products she’d never use and while acknowledging that this is just her opinion, urges you to not bother with them, either.

Pre-workout, a substance that is often in the form of powder, is considered to be helpful for boosting energy, and helping you to keep a sustained, focused workout but according to Jones, not everybody needs this.

Jones says that while pre-workout does help with heavy lifting, most people don’t lift heavy enough to need it. She advises instead that people will benefit more from a good night’s sleep and getting enough protein, both of which can contribute to better energy levels.

Waist trainers are shaping garments that wrap around your torso and fasten using a lacing system, hook-and-eye clasps, or sticky fasteners. Popularised by the Kardashians, there’s been a long-held belief that frequently wearing a waist trainer can result in a smaller waist.

However, according to Jones, these are not going to make your waist smaller because, “you can’t change the rib cage circumference”.

Jones says that if you want to have a smaller-looking waist, working on your back muscles will create an ‘optical illusion’ that you have a smaller waist.

If you’re not familiar, Bosu balls are the balls that look like giant exercise balls, cut in half. These are often used as a balance trainer, and are used during muscle workouts to retain focus.

However, Jones points out, “most of you can’t even stand on one foot, so why would you need a Bosu ball to make it harder?”.

Juice cleanses are a very controversial topic within the health and wellness world. These are often done over a short period of time and involve drinking only fruit or vegetable drinks in an attempt to ‘cleanse’ the body.

Jones says, “You’re not going to drop body fat percentage by drinking some juice”. She acknowledges that these are great for getting micronutrients but adds that they’re void of fibre which is essential for hormonal and gut health.

While Jones doesn’t think juice cleanses should be avoided entirely, she does say that if you’re missing out on essential macronutrients, “skip the juice cleanse”.

Spot reduction programmes are workouts intended to target specific areas of fat, such as upper arms or tummy fat.

Jones says, “If you still believe in those influencers that are telling you that you can get rid of your FUPA (Fatty Upper Pubic Area) or your bra fat, they’re lying to you”. Jones goes on to say that your skin is one big organ and you can’t ‘spot reduce’ fat because it comes from all over.

It seems that if you want to get fit, you need to just stick to the basics.