5 Fitness Trends That Are Taking Over Our World

There is something about January that makes people adopt the motto of “new year, new you” and for a lot of people that means deciding to become healthier. Whether it’s actually using the gym membership they pay for each month or cutting out certain things from their diet, people try to change their habits in a variety of ways. For someone who doesn’t know where to start, it can be a little overwhelming to jump in with both feet. There are diets that say to cut all “fun” foods out to ones that tell you to eat whatever you want if it fits into a certain set of points. There are endless options for getting physical, from hot yoga that promises to help you recapture your zen to kickboxing that helps you get all your aggression out. It’s enough to make a person’s head spin! So I did some digging to come up with the 5 most popular fitness trends that are taking over our world. Now before I start listing things off, know that this is in no way a complete list of every trend out there. Some I’ve personally tried, some you couldn’t pay me to get involved in. I am happy with my judgment-free gym membership, my co-ed softball team, and pairing up with my sister to knock out a couple half marathons at a snail's pace. But no matter what I feel about them for my life, they might just be the glass slipper of fitness trends for you; you won’t know what will be a good fit for you if you don’t try! 1. FUN RUNS I know. Fun and run. Not two words that might go together for most people. But in the past few years fun runs have taken off in popularity. From the Color Me Rad to a Cupid Undie Run , it seems that every month there is a race in the area that is promoting more than just finishing fast. These runs are about the experience more than they are about the race time. They aren’t for marathon qualifying. They aren’t likely to create your next PR because there are always bottle necks along the race path where people are caught up in the excitement of the moment rather than just trying to finish. But these races get people who might not normally be a 5k out the door and on their feet. For the people who are a bit more into competing than coming home tye-dyed there is the Spartan races and Tough Mudder races. These races challenge not just your speed but your sanity. Mud, obstacles, water, live electricity, fire. All of those are found on courses like these. Sign up as an individual or sign up as a team to compete in these extreme races. But be warned that these are not for the faint of heart so take it seriously when you’re getting ready for them. 2. BEACHBODY It’s hard to get on any social media these days without seeing someone supporting the Beachbody program and how much they love their Shakeology meal replacement shakes. I spoke to Brianna Mattingly, a Beachbody coach to get her take on what the program is and why it works so well for all fitness levels and all body types. Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix is so popular and works so well because it’s quick and simple. Everything is laid out for you in 6 30-minute work outs and your food is divided out in color coded containers. If the food fits in one of the color coded containers, you can eat it however you see fit throughout the day so there is no more weighing food and no more calorie counting. Adding Shakeology into the mix with its protein-rich nutrient-dense formula helps you feel full and reduces the tendency to "cheat" throughout the day by curbing your junk food cravings. Plus, you'll be feeding your body the nutrients it needs, especially after your workouts, so it feels more satisfied. Is the Fix going to “fix” you in 21 days? Well, no. You can’t expect to lose every pound you want to shed in less than a month, but what it does, especially with the portion control containers, is teach you and your body how much you should be eating and WHAT you should be eating. Having a supportive Beachbody Coach is KEY to getting you through those days where you’re just not feeling it or you really want to go out and devour all the food. We’re here to keep you from falling off the ledge and even more importantly, letting you know that weight loss and learning to live a healthier lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight and it won’t be a perfect journey. Most of us have been standing exactly where you are, lost and confused and frustrated, and we want to hold your hand and guide you out. It’s what we live for. 3. WEARABLE FITNESS TECHNOLOGY In case there is any doubt about it, technology has now taken over just about every aspect of our lives and the fitness realm is no different. Some of the most popular wearable technology brands around right now are the Fitbit and the Garmin . Both brands offer different styles of activity trackers based on what your personal needs are. Some are as basic as a clip-on tracker you wear to do nothing more than count steps while others seem to track every move you make all day. There are ones that track heart rate and ones that can help you track pacing while biking, running or swimming. No matter what your fitness level or fitness goal, there is an activity tracker for you. This is one of the fitness trends I have personally jumped onto. I have a Fitbit Charge and while I don’t use it as often as I probably should, it does give me a goal to work towards on a daily basis. I like that I can link up with friends who have them and we can compete against each other for daily and weekly goals. I find I’m far more motivated when I have people supporting me in whatever small fitness goal I’ve made for myself. 4. FITNESS APPS If wearable technology isn’t your thing there are still endless fitness related apps out there. If you’re a runner (or you walk with a purpose like me) there is the Nike Run app. Apps like this and MapMyRun allow you to track your runs, keep a record of how long and how fast you’re going, and let your compete against friends to see who can rack up the most miles in a given amount of time. Some of them even have an option where if you post your run start on social media people can “like” it and it will give you positive encouragement along your route. MyFitnessPal is another great, easy to use tracker app. If you are comfortable with counting calories or you just want to get a better picture of what you’re actually eating you can use this app to keep a food log. It allows you to enter your own recipes, scan barcodes right off the food you regularly buy, and can even come up with the nutrition info for some popular meals from chain restaurants. You can track how much water you’re drinking, what your average calories are over a week, what nutrients you might want to increase and where you might want to cut back. And you can also track your workouts on here. The app take into account how much physical activity you’re engaging in to set the average calorie intake you would need to accomplish the fitness goals you set up for yourself. Some people prefer to use the macro counter instead of calorie counter method when it comes to eating and this app will let you see those as well, you just need to make sure you know what your macros should be and pay attention to those categories on the app rather than the overall calorie count. 5. GROUP FITNESS [caption id="attachment_6120" align="alignnone" width="525"] CrossFit Training Push Ups[/caption] Ok so this isn’t the newest fitness trend out there; however recently we’re hearing more often that it’s likely to see real results and for a person to continue with their fitness goals if they have other people helping them stay on track. Group fitness today isn’t the 80’s style Jazzercise. Ok, if you’re doing Zumba it’s a little like that. But there are so many more options out there now. Maybe you’re looking for a more extreme workout. In my town it’s hard to turn around without finding another crossfit gym, or box, popping up. CrossFit is a combination of aerobic exercise, body weight exercises, and weightlifting. It’s often high intensity and the goal is to keep you moving, get your toned, and build up strength. It’s supposed to be something all ages, all body types can do. I will say that in my quest to find what works for me I gave it a try. Twice. That was all it took for me to realize that this type of intense workout isn’t for me. But, I have friends who swear by it and don’t understand how I find enjoyment in going on a 13.1 mile race. Like I said before, you won’t know what works for you until you try! If high intensity isn’t for you then maybe yoga might be for up your alley. Traditional yoga has been around for ages now. For those that don’t know, the concept is to combine stretching, learning balance, and breathing techniques and finding a way to mix fitness with relaxation. This truly is a concept that everyone can do. There are classes out there for beginners who have no idea what they are doing. There are hot yoga studios around for those who want to bring a challenge to their routine. No matter how you choose to practice you should hopefully find yourself more relaxed at the end. And if these aren’t your style don’t fret. There are endless classes out there for people looking to get involved in group fitness. Zumba, kickboxing, martial arts, pole dancing (this one is fun!), mixed weights classes, boot camp style workouts. I could go on and on. Do a little research. Find your comfort zone with fitness just get out there. In addition to feeling better about yourself, you just might find that these classes are a great way to meet people in a new duty station too! Connect with us on Facebook!

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