Personal Training & Fitness
What Fitness Is About
In an industry flooded with trends, shortcuts, and influencers, the answer was never a new workout program. It was always consistency.
Because it is a money-making entity, the fitness industry is constantly trying to invent new and entertaining ways to get fit, creating a blurry image of what fitness really is and what it should be. If you are new to working out, it can be difficult to know where to begin. If you are returning to fitness after many years or starting over in a new era of your life, it can be difficult to know how to begin again. If you have plateaued, it can be difficult to know what to do to move past it.
As in many profit-driven industries, money can become the primary focus in fitness, with actual health becoming secondary. Some of the current money-making schemes come from a flood of fitness influencers who may have little to no experience training clients, YouTube and app-based training programs that sell workouts, and boutique studios popping up in every strip mall.
During the pandemic, Peloton exploded in popularity. Prior to that, it was CrossFit. Lately, it has been boutique gyms offering fitness circuits and various types of Pilates-mixed workouts — particularly here in Florida, which I will talk more about later. The latest craze is Hyrox, which I am seeing pop up at F45 and local fitness events.
For women, a couple of years ago, it was big-booty-style workouts and false images promising fitness through women with very low body-fat percentages — showing off those cuts, slim waists, and thighs. If you are a man, it is massive biceps, a large chest, and a six-pack. If you play a sport, it is more agility, strength, and stamina: "Master your swing in these five easy steps!" These offerings, serving up quick development and results, are there to entice you to open your wallet.
Then there are the influencers and boutique gyms that claim they will fix all of your aches, pains, and mobility problems while trying to sell trainers, physical therapists, and you on their special modalities.
We now also have GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Zepbound, which have taken away the feeling for some people that they need to exercise to lose weight. This furthers the mentality that you can accelerate your way to your best self without any effort. While I believe many of the benefits of these drugs can be great for the long-term health of someone who has struggled and tried to lose weight, they do not eliminate the need to exercise and build a foundation of cardio and strength that lasts a lifetime — or the need to build muscle safely and effectively.
That distorted picture is what personal trainers and coaches are up against when we are trying to guide our clients toward a healthier lifestyle and their fitness goals. And despite the endless amount of fitness being marketed to people, the data tells a sobering story.
of American adults met all criteria for optimal cardiometabolic health — including adiposity, blood glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, and cardiovascular health.
of American adults had no cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic risk factors, according to a separate study using different standards but reaching a strikingly similar conclusion.
Building a fitness routine that lasts starts with mentality. It means understanding that fitness is dynamic and should shift with your lifestyle, your age, and where your body is right now.
Fitness does not have to be complicated to get results. That being said, it is not always easy, and it is not always fun. Sometimes we have to push past perceived limitations and move outside our comfort zones. Many times, the real challenge is making exercise a habit and establishing a routine.
The answer is not another trend or shortcut. It is learning what your body needs right now and building a realistic foundation that can evolve with you over time. Nutrition and recovery are also important parts of that foundation, which I will talk more about in future posts.
Fitness isn't about chasing an ideal. It is about becoming your best you — and that is built through consistency.
