FIT Feels Good
Rod Stewart, Club Performax
We all see, hear and read the messages about health and fitness every day — exercise regularly, eat healthy and get lots of sleep. By now most of us know “what” to do. Yet so many have missed the fitness boat because of bad experiences in the past or lack of discipline and a system to get it done.
Whether it’s the negative images of yesteryear, like ads with scantily clad perfect bodies, big-box impersonal gyms, false claiming body cleanses, confusing workout routines, in-your-face trainers, or whether it’s the modern day stressors of technology, jam-packed work days and the “do-more-with-less mentality,” we are often left feeling like there’s no time for exercise.
Fortunately, we are slowly reigning in a new era of fitness gospel. It’s what I like to call “Fit Feels Good.” Placing greater emphasis on the outcome of how you feel post-workout instead of how you look is the future. Self-acceptance and working on the best you can be is the new “look at how good I look.” And that comes in a package of “I am stronger and more capable, I can go longer and enjoy more, I feel good and people around me know it.”
And while it typically takes weeks, and for some months, to make significantly noticeable changes in body structure, you always begin to feel better, have more energy and more confidence after a few workouts.
Along with this mindset shift, the structure of working out is changing, as well. Gone are the days of two-hour workouts, working only one or two body parts, long slow treadmill walks and only picking one discipline to solve all fitness goals.
Feel-good fitness is now best accomplished through much shorter durations. In as little as 15-20 minutes, you can accomplish a variety of functional movements all designed to help you move and play better.
Long, steady, low-intensity workouts largely have been replaced with quicker, metabolic workouts that burn more calories, boost your metabolism and leave you feeling like a superhero.
Additionally, the importance of mobility and recovery training also is at the forefront of the new fitness age. Improved sleeping patterns, stretching, yoga, meditation and massage are now proving critical not only in sports performance, but also in the game of life. By incorporating these, you will be better equipped to handle life’s stressors.
As a general rule, this is a good place to start:
Strength train two to three times each week. This can be accomplished in as little 20-30 minutes. You’ll build muscle and bone strength, which in turn contributes to a higher metabolism, plus you’ll reduce the chance of injuries.
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