Does the "offseason transformation" hype actually hold water?

I feel like every single year around this time, the media goes absolutely insane with these "new year, new body" narratives. You see the same cycle over and over: an athlete or a public figure goes quiet for a few months, and then suddenly they emerge looking like they’ve been living on nothing but kale and discipline. It’s always framed as this massive, heroic breakthrough that's going to change their entire career trajectory.

Personally, I’ve always been a bit skeptical of the suddenness of it all. Real, sustainable change is usually a slow grind, not a dramatic reveal right before the season starts. It feels like a lot of these stories are manufactured just to build hype for the upcoming schedule. When someone says they’ve completely overhauled their lifestyle, I find myself wondering if it’s actually a lasting shift or just a temporary sprint to look good for the cameras.

Do you guys think these massive physical transformations are usually legitimate, or is it mostly just strategic timing for the hype machine?