You hit the theater, eagerly anticipating the first appearance of the main protagonist, and the next thing you know, your jaws drop, and you drool over the chiseled abs and huge biceps of the superhero.

You know for a fact that the celebrity in question didn’t look like that before. What gives?

Steroids? A well-kept training secret only the rich and famous have access to? Eating fast food all day to load up on calories?

This is a topic that always makes the rounds of the internet every time an A-list celeb goes on a serious makeover. People immediately think that there’s some sort of shortcut that allows them to build muscle mass or lose a tremendous amount of weight in a matter of a few weeks.

The truth, however, is that these celebrities do not use any kind of magic pill that speeds up their results. Like every one of us, they spend time working out and eating the right foods to achieve their fitness goals. There’s a lot of bad information circulating the web regarding health and fitness, and you wouldn’t want to fall victim to fad diets or exercise programs that promise to make you look like a superhero in just a couple of months.

There’s also the debate about personal trainers and how they help celebrities sculpt the perfect body for their movie or TV roles. Sure, these trainers certainly know their stuff, but the ordinary person can enjoy the same benefits without shelling out a ton of money. According to Keith McNiven, founder of and personal trainer at Right Path Fitness, all of their trainers must have a solid athletic background and a proven track record of bringing results to their clients.

In other words, anyone can work with a personal trainer to help them create the right training program and diet plan. If you really want to get ripped as fast as the celebrities do, prepare yourself for some serious work. Unless you’re already fit in the first place, expect to spend hours in the gym to bulk up and eat foods you may not normally include in your daily diet. It all boils down to proper training and nutrition.

You will also see some celebrities swearing by certain fitness programs, but this doesn’t mean the ones they don’t mention aren’t any good. This only means that they have found what works best for them based on the recommendations of their personal trainers and by listening to their own bodies. You should do the exact same thing. Seek the guidance of your personal trainer as you try out an exercise routine and be sure to stick to it. Results may not come overnight, but you must remain consistent if you want to see similar gains as these celebrities.

There you have it. You might feel disappointed knowing that there’s no secret to getting in shape quickly. Being fit is mostly about training and eating right. Instead of overthinking, push yourself to start now. Before you know it, you already have washboard abs and bulging pecs to be proud of.