In the world of health and wellness there is always a new fad attempting to tell you that if you do a particular exercise, or eat a certain supplement, or cut a specific item out of your diet, all of your weight loss struggles will be solved.
The problem with the fitness industry is everyone is trying to make a dollar or two, and if they can convince you that their product or their way is the best, then perhaps you will convince all of your friends the same thing and then they will convince all of their friends as well. Although there are a lot of great products that do come into the health market, and I am constantly searching for new ways to challenge my clients, I will never tell someone that one way is better than the other.
Exercising is about specificity, and if you want to achieve something you need to source out exactly what you need to do to accomplish your goal. If you want to run a half marathon then you need to run. Strength training and yoga will add to your training regime, but if you do not run then you will never cross the finish line. If you want to learn how to do pull-ups and pushups then you need to do them, along with other strength and range of motion exercises. If you want to build muscle mass, you may want to cut out the running and stick to lifting weights. If you want to work on rehabilitating an injury then perhaps a membership to a yoga or Pilates studio will be the way you go.
Do not allow yourself to get caught up in the hype of something, or let someone tell you that how you eat or train is wrong and you should do it their way. The Canadian Society For Exercise Physiology prescribes that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week to be considered healthy and to eat a balanced diet, consisting of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, grains and dairy products. What it does not prescribe is how you should spend those minutes, so go out and find an activity, or two or three, that you love and go do them.
I feel as though I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world and it does not matter what season it is, there are countless activities that I can do outside. From snowboarding, to hiking, to trail running, to mountain biking, to stand up paddling, to kayaking, to yoga on a mountain top, to strolling the seawall with girlfriends, I never run out of activities to do. And yes, I exercise for my health and to keep my weight in check, as well as to control the anxiety and depression that I struggle with, but I also exercise so that I can get outside and do all of these amazing things. If I was not healthy and fit, I would be missing out on a huge part of life. And I feel the same way with food. I do not deprive myself of anything, but I do make healthy choices the majority of the time, which means Mondays to Fridays my days are filled with healthy shakes, fruits and vegetables but Sunday Fundays, which begin with a good workout, will be filled with wine and an amazing meals prepared by friends, grains and all!
Next time someone tells you that you should try their way of training, go ahead and see what they are talking about, but do not let anyone deter you away from what you enjoy.
