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✨Article of the Week

Mastering Prompt Engineering: The Art of Asking AI the Right Questions

Are you a fitness professional ready to use AI in your business but need help figuring out where to start?

Have you tried ChatGPT but are frustrated when you ask for help and need help getting needed answers?

You are not alone!

AI technology can be powerful but challenging.

Let me walk you through some of the easier parts of how to use ChatGPT as a fitness professional.

Let’s first define AI (short for Artificial Intelligence). AI is a cutting-edge technology that enables computers to perform tasks and make decisions that typically require human intelligence. I’m not talking about Arnold in the Terminator-like AI things. I am talking about things you do in your business that could be done better by technology.

Some of the more popular and recent AI tools are ChatGPT and Bard (the Google version). Each has its pros and cons addressed in another of my posts. But I suggest you pick one for now and learn what you can.

The first thing you need to understand is prompting. 

Prompting is nothing more than what you are telling the AI (in this case, ChatGPT) to do. It can be a simple statement like “Write a blog post about heart disease,” but the more specific and intentional you are with your prompts, the better the results (reminds me to write another blog post about best prompting). 

A better prompt? “Write a 1,000-word blog post about five ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. Your audience is adults over 65 and inactive”.

Using ChatGPT and similar tools has its risks. Sometimes, the AI may generate answers based on incorrect or imaginary information, and it's up to us as users to verify the accuracy of the information.  Despite these limitations, AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming essential and helpful. I use ChatGPT multiple times per day, and so should you!

This brings us to an important question - how can we ask the right questions?

Understanding the art of 'prompt engineering' is increasingly important.

It's crucial that it starts to become part of the medical curriculum and will soon be included in AI courses. While “formal education” could be a great starting point, there are practical tips and tricks to improve your prompt engineering skills right now.

Just like any skill, becoming an expert in prompt engineering takes practice.

To save you time and avoid trial and error, I want to share what I've learned after spending countless hours refining my own approach.

Whether you're experienced with AI or just starting to explore its possibilities, these guidelines will make your journey smoother and more rewarding.

Here are 10 ways to better use ChatGPT as a fitness professional:

1. Be as specific as possible

The more specific your prompt, the more accurate and focused the response will likely be.

Example:

Less specific: “Create a workout for a client.”

More specific: “Create a workout for a 35-year-old female client for eight weeks, focus on stretching.”

2. Describe your goal

Describe exactly what kind of output you are looking for. It also helps highlight what’s important for you about the output.

Example:

“Make a list of 10 possible blog posts for February, which is heart month. Posts should be engaging and easy to understand for the average person.”

3. Describe your setting and provide the context

Think of your conversation with ChatGPT as if you're talking to someone you've just met who might be able to help you with your questions and challenges. The more you clearly explain your objective, who you're talking to, and the tone you want to use, the better the response from ChatGPT will match your needs.

Example:

“I’m writing a newsletter article about tips and tricks for ChatGPT prompts for people working in the fitness industry. Can you please list a few of those tips and tricks with some specific prompt examples? My audience consists of fitness professionals who are not AI experts. Please use a clear, friendly, and easy-to-understand style.”

4. Try a different prompt style

The way you structure your prompt can significantly affect the answer you receive. Experiment with different formats, such as asking for a list, requesting a summary, or explaining things as if you were talking to a five-year-old (ELI5). This variety can lead to more diverse and tailored responses from ChatGPT.Example:

Direct Question: “What are the benefits of cardiovascular exercise.”

Request for List: “Make a list of bicep exercises with a kettlebell.”

Request for Summary: “Summarize the key symptoms of dehydration from exercise.”

ELI5: “Explain the symptoms of dehydration like I’m five.”

5. Role Playing

Have fun with this one. You can get more accurate information by asking ChatGPT to play a role. I’ve even asked ChatGPT to write like Shakespeare (and the result was terrific).

Example:

“Act as a certified personal trainer and explain the Krebs Cycle to a client.”

“Act as my nutritionist and give me tips about a balanced vegan diet.”

6. Trial and error, then do it again.

Unless you're incredibly skilled at prompt engineering, it's unlikely that you'll achieve the ideal response you're seeking with just one prompt. Don't hesitate to refine your question or ask the AI to modify its output based on its previous response. If you're not getting the desired result, consider using continuation prompts to guide the model. This approach can be more effective than expecting a perfect response in a single prompt. Additionally, you can transform your prompt into a conversation by asking the AI to think through the steps or debate the pros and cons before settling on an answer.

Example:

You: “What causes a person to gain weight?”

AI: “A combination of factors can cause weight gain. Consuming more calories…”

You (refining the question): “What factors lead to weight gain?”

AI: “Factors that can contribute to weight gain include: Caloric imbalance, Sedentary lifestyle, Poor dietary choices, Hormonal imbalances, Lack of sleep…”

You can leverage feedback loops to delve deeper when exploring unfamiliar subjects and seeking information in an unfamiliar field. Initially, ChatGPT may provide general responses, but you can use its output as input for follow-up prompts. This iterative process allows you to refine your inquiries and obtain more specific and detailed answers.

Example:

You: “What are the common symptoms of overtraining?”

AI: “Common symptoms of overtraining include persistent fatigue, decreased performance, increased perceived effort during exercise….”

You: “What can a person do when they have overtrained?”

AI: “When someone has overtrained, it is important to prioritize rest and recovery. They should consider taking a break…”

7. Use your previous threads

Click on the corresponding thread in the left column to return to a specific discussion. This allows you to resume the conversation where you left off, saving you the trouble of starting from scratch and enabling you to continue your previous interaction with ChatGPT seamlessly.

8. Ask open-ended questions

Open-ended questions often yield more comprehensive responses.

Example:

Closed question: “Is strength training important for clients to decrease body fat?”

Open question: “How does strength training benefit patients in decreasing body fat?”

9. Ask for examples

If there is something you are not satisfied with or don’t understand based on its response, first of all, tell ChatGPT that you don’t understand the answer and ask it to provide an example.

10. Use time wisely

If you’re asking about a process or timeline, specify that in your prompt.

Example:

Without time reference: “Describe the healthy way to lose weight.”

With time reference: “What can a client typically expect during the first eight weeks of working out three days a week?”

As AI grows and evolves, being adept at prompting is the key.  Getting valuable and meaningful responses from AI can empower us as fitness professionals to make the most of this cutting-edge technology. Just like you tell your clients, repetition and practice are key, and each question we ask is a step towards becoming more fluent in the language of AI.

Use it to expand your knowledge and ideas instead of solving things on your behalf.

PS - I wanted a catchy title for this post, so I copied and pasted the text into ChatGPT and asked for 10 possible titles. Did I pick the right one?

Catchy titles for a newsletter about using AI in fitness:

1. "AI Fitness Revolution: Unlocking the Power of Artificial Intelligence"

2. "Supercharge Your Fitness Business with AI: Where to Start"

3. "Unleashing the Potential of AI in the Fitness Industry"

4. "ChatGPT and Bard: Your AI Partners in Fitness"

5. "Mastering Prompt Engineering: The Art of Asking AI the Right Questions"

6. "From ChatCPT Frustration to AI Success: Tips for Fitness Professionals"

7. "AI and Fitness: A Perfect Match for Success"

8. "Level Up Your Fitness Game with ChatGPT and Bard"

9. "Building Your AI Toolkit: Essential Skills for Fitness Professionals"

10. "AI-Powered Fitness: Unleash the Future of Training and Coaching"

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