Like the tech industry, the fitness industry is constantly coming up with new trends. You might see them on the cover of magazines in the grocery store or being promoted by your favorite celebrity. Some of these trends become popular for good reasons, while others turn out to be a waste of time and money.
Worth It: Desk Treadmill
Working a desk job means that you’re sitting for around nine hours every day, plus whatever commute time you have. Unless you’re making time to exercise before or after work, it’s likely that you live a sedentary lifestyle if you have a desk job. A desk treadmill will let you exercise while you work! Most find that a very slow pace is necessary when trying to type (or attend a meeting), but as you get used to it, it becomes a natural part of your workday.
Worth It: Greens and Reds Powders
Just like exercise, most people aren’t getting enough vitamins and minerals in their diet. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables is necessary if you want to live a healthy life, but it can be hard to fit them in. If you were living off of your own vegetable garden, it would be simple to go out and pick whatever is growing and eat that for the next meal. But going to the grocery store multiple times a week for fresh produce, only for it to rot in the back of your fridge, isn’t feasible for many people.
Reds and greens powders can help with this. When weighing reds vs greens, greens are what will provide missing vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you’d get from a diet rich in green fruits and vegetables. Reds powders provide “superfood” nutrients from naturally red foods like beets, apples, and cherries. While you should still try to get the majority of your nutrition from whole food sources, reds and greens powders can help fill in the gaps.
Not Worth It: Waist Trainers
A trend that no professional will ever recommend is the new waist trainer fad. The concept is that, if you’re hoping to lose fat at a higher rate, you should strap a tight band around your waist to help “shape” the area. Waist trainer fans claim that it helps engage your core to work the abdominals more fully, but that’s simply not the case. The band might make you sweat a little more than usual, but other than making you uncomfortable as you exercise, it’s not going to do much else for you.
Not Worth It: Lifted-Heel Training Shoes
From “Curves” shoes to calf trainers, exercise shoes have undergone a lot of trendy alterations over the years. You may have seen some of these sneakers with lifted heels claiming to work your calves as you walk around throughout the day. Your calves might burn after walking a mile in these shoes, but the results are far from beneficial. There’s a reason why our feet are shaped how they are. Being forced to walk on a heel all day will only throw the rest of your body out of alignment and make you more prone to pain and injury. If working your calf muscles is important to you, there are tons of safer (and cheaper) options out there.
Worth It: Virtual Fitness
In recent years, the idea that you have to go to a gym to get fit has gone out of the window. Many people prefer virtual fitness classes that they can attend from home. Technology has made many of our lives a lot easier and more enjoyable, so it’s no surprise that it can help us get healthier, as well.
Whether you use an app to choose your workout or participate in live classes via social media, virtual fitness can help you exercise in a variety of ways that are both affordable and easy to access. Trends can be both great and harmful, so be aware and do some research before hopping on the bandwagon.