There is an onslaught of trends in the fitness and nutrition world. It’s endless; High-Intensity Interval Training, (HIIT) Long Slow Distance (LSD) Cross Fit, Boot Camps, Hot Yoga, Mixed Martial Arts, Triathlons, Obstacle races, – if you’re a gym-goer: cardio, vs weights/machines/classes and if cardio, bike vs rower vs treadmill vs swimming. If you run, should you be trying to increase your distance, use a run/walk strategy, crush some intervals, follow heart rate zone training? Invest in a Peloton, Mirror or Nordic Track? Did you really need to read all the magazines in the check out line promising to sculpt your abs, activate your glutes and pump your biceps?
Food? – Free-range, conscientiously farmed, juice cleanses, Goji berries and Mulberries instead of blueberries? Kale juice, Kale chips, or the new Kale? (what is the new Kale?). Bulletproof coffee, detox smoothies, no GMO’s, no msg, no gluten, Himalayan salt or no salt, Paleo, Keto or Plants. Supplements? Do you need to bio-hack? What the hell do you eat? Pickles, Pistachios or Papaya? I know, it’s confusing.
And then there is all this barrage from celebrities and influencers promoting celery in the morning and kumquat oil at night. If you only worked out and eat like I did you will look just like me. No, you won’t – you do not have their genes.
However, you can get fitter through diet and exercise and be a better version of yourself. Don’t follow the trends but keep in simple with the following core tenets and index on your own experience.
- Challenge yourself physically – Do a variety of exercises – left heavy things, sprint, balance, do sports. Do the things that feel good for your body don’t do the things that make you feel vulnerable to injury. Don’t run the same route time and time again, unless you don’t want adaptation. Don’t overdo endurance cardio – the law of diminishing returns applies.
- Eat sensibly, eat healthy, index on vegetables, fruit, healthy fats and lean proteins, keep in simple, eat everything else if you want, but in moderation.
- If weight loss is your goal, its simple math, but know that slow and steady wins the race.