Trends in Health & Fitness: Expert Gives Outlook for 2009

Jan. 15, 2009 - PRLog -- Owen Sound, ON: Two weeks have quickly passed since the ball dropped on the New Year and, sadly, many resolutioners have quickly fallen off the proverbial fitness wagon. With the passing of another year, it regrettably appears that the fitness industry has again failed to produce the sort of broad scale results that would effectively reverse the escalating obesity epidemic that plagues our nation. More pointedly, the appalling fact that Canadians are growing larger, more lethargic, and less healthy clearly reflects the unabated deterioration in the health and fitness of our country’s youth population. On a positive note, however, the coming year will be host to several growing fitness trends that will provide adults with at least a few long term answers to this ever-growing problem.

Trend 1 – The benefits of intense interval training gain sweeping popularity

The superiority of High-Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) is, at last, becoming widely accepted as the most expedient means of improving both fitness and fat loss. The focus of interval training is placed upon the intensity of exercise (quality) rather than the duration of exercise (quantity). Research in cardiorespiratory physiology has long advocated H.I.I.T strategies as the superior method to acquiring better body composition. Intervals generally consist of short bouts of all-out effort that alternate with very brief recovery periods. Such training is highly focused, lasting between 10-20 minutes. Clinical research has demonstrated that H.I.I.T can burn up to nine times more body fat than old-school cardio and aerobics while leading to faster improvements in both general and specific fitness.


Trend 2 - Lean proteins, fiber, and fish oil are primary for improving health, performance, and body composition

Mainstream consumers are finally catching on to what science has been validating for years; that a diet high in lean protein, fiber, and fish oil is the appropriate fat burning and health promoting option for an overwhelming percentage of the adult population. In opposition to our typical carbohydrate saturated lifestyles, protein is among the most important components of each and every meal/snack you consume. Proteins build and maintain muscle, allow your body to preferentially burn fat, increase metabolism through the thermic effect of feeding, provide amino acids for countless enzymatic reactions, and they fill you up.  Fiber, ideally obtained from fruits and vegetables (specifically green vegetables), slows digestion, allows for a more steady supply of nutrients, sustains energy, prevents overeating, and also keeps you full.  The benefits of fish oil are too many to mention, but include warding off heart disease, asthma, arthritis, macular degeneration, and type II diabetes. Most notable in the fitness community, however, is fish oil’s powerful effects on fat loss, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity.  By combining protein, fiber, and fish oil every two to four hours, you provide your body with an arsenal of health promoting, belly busting nutrients for a leaner, stronger you.

Trend 3 - Group fitness programs rise due to their ability to leverage both time and money

Fitness bootcamps are probably the hottest thing going in the fitness industry today, especially in light of the current economic climate. The group training model creates the ultimate win-win for fitness enthusiasts. Bootcamp participants are able to access personal training services in a unique and dynamic team environment that provides better social support and accountability for only a fraction of the cost of typical one-on-one rates. For business professionals, the prospect of getting rapid results while leveraging both time and money holds great appeal.

The time has never been better to get on-board the fitness wagon; and given the direction the industry is going in 2009, it’s also never been easier to stay aboard. Let’s not allow the sweeping tides of obesity and weight-related disease consume our lifestyles or the lifestyles of our kids.

Chris Cubitt is Owen Sound’s resident fitness expert and operates the Fitness Consulting Group and The Fitness Sorority. To book Chris to speak at your local Owen Sound business, club, or organization, please contact him by email at primetimeperformance@gmail.com, or by phone at 519-370-8985. For a free 1-week trial to The Fitness Sorority bootcamps, Contact Chris using the information above.

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About:

The Fitness Sorority was born from the belief that women truly thrive when surrounded by like-minded sisters who understand the value of strength, beauty, and confidence. The hallmark of this Owen Sound bootcamp is that it provides a guaranteed and proven blueprint for women to get sexy, strong, and confident. The Fitness Sorority employs a progressive results-based system that guarantees twice the results in half the time for a third of the cost of typical personal training services.

The Fitness Sorority - Establishing a foundation of health and strength from the inside-out