The search for a healthier lifestyle has never been greater! With more people changing their diets to vegan and gluten free, joining gyms and Cross Fit centers around the globe and wearing fitness trackers, leading a healthy lifestyle is where it’s at!
Each year there are new “fads” and trends in the fitness community. The Atkins diet, the Thigh Master, and Tae Bo just to name a few. 2017 is no different.
Here we’ll take a look at the top 5 fitness trends that you’ll be seeing this year. Some might spark your interest and get you moving in 2017!
1. Exercise is Medicine
We all know that an active lifestyle means significant benefits for our health. Exercise can reduce a person’s risk of stroke, diabetes, arthritis and cancer just to name a few. Daily benefits of exercise range from an elevated mood, increased energy and decreased stress levels.
In 2007, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) co-launched Exercise is Medicine (EIM). EIM is a worldwide health initiative with the purpose of making the scientifically proven benefits of physical activity the standard of healthcare systems.
The vision of EIM is to have healthcare providers assess every patient’s level of physical activity and determine if they are meeting the U.S. National Physical Activity Guidelines. Physicians offer brief counseling and suggestions to help patients meet their goals.
This has started a fabulous fitness trend where physicians are recommending patients to fitness professionals who can help develop exercise plans. This has fostered the relationship between the two professions, which are highly interconnected.
So next time you leave your doctor’s office you might receive a diagnosis that includes “1 dose of 30 minutes of activity, once a day for 7 days!”
2. Wearable Technology
It’s not often a day goes by without seeing someone wearing a Fitbit, Garmin or another brand of fitness tracker. These devices are primarily used to track the number of steps you take in a day and the results of individualized workouts. Results include the number of calories burned, distance traveled and average heart rate.
Some trackers even have movement reminders when you have been inactive for too long! Like most technology these days, the wearable kind is constantly undergoing updates to make them more accurate.
Depending on the features you’re looking for, there are countless fitness trackers that can help you set and crush your goals in 2017!
3. Group Workouts
Have you ever been to the gym? Alone?
Maybe you got on the treadmill for about 20 minutes. Walking, then jogging. Your headphones on, head down. Glancing up once and a while to see if anyone’s watching you.
Doesn’t sound very fun, does it?
Now let’s consider this scenario.
Heart pumping music. An instructor offering constant inspiration and encouragement. “You’ve got this! Only 10 more seconds. Let’s go!” People around you pushing harder and going faster.
The group mentality can work wonders for your motivation. You often push yourself harder in a group setting vs. working out alone. Group classes are a great opportunity to meet fitness buddies that share your same goals.
The group fitness trend has created countless opportunities to workout with others. Some of the most popular fitness trends in this category include:
HITT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
HITT training includes short bursts of exercise at near maximum heart rate levels followed by short periods of rest. You can burn the same amount of calories from a 20-30 minute HITT session that you can from a longer, more moderately paced workout.
HITT training is sometimes confused with circuit training, another popular fitness trend that also involves short periods of exercise. The difference is HITT training is more of an aerobic, cardio-based exercise where circuit training involves strength training moves and equipment.
Yoga
Yoga has become a $27 billion industry. Yoga was popular thousands of years ago and it still is today. Now it comes in different forms. Hot yoga, rope wall yoga, and aerial yoga.
Though some of these might be extreme for most, basic yoga still offers amazing benefits including relaxation, overall body strength, and wellness. Most yoga classes are held in large groups in studios or even outdoors.
4. Streaming Workouts
What better way to workout than in the comfort of your own home, on your own schedule? This is especially true for those who are too self-conscious to work out in public. There are countless at home workouts available and videos online that you can stream right into your living room.
Streaming videos and workouts at home has become a popular fitness trend due to its convenience
Netflix and Hulu are great places to find in home workouts at reasonable prices. Beach Body is popular for their Beach Body on Demand app that allows users to access numerous workouts of different styles and skill levels. The variety and privacy are key to this fitness trend.
5. Fitness Trends: Specialized Training
This fitness trend includes personal and educated training, as well as specialized sports training. Specialized training gives you the opportunity to work with educated professionals whose expertise can benefit you most.
Personal Trainers
Personal trainers offer a level of fitness instruction that most other workouts don’t. The workout is designed specifically for your needs and target areas. You and your trainer will work together to create an exercise plan and, often times, an eating plan that will help you meet your goals.
Sports Training Facilities
You can find facilities that are set-up like a training facility for UFC, MMA or even ones specifically for Spartan Race preparation. You might even find a facility that offers workouts like the ones your favorite athletes perform. If you’re ready to take your fitness to another level, check out a facility near you.
With so many fitness trends and options available, there’s no doubt that 2017 can be your healthiest year yet! Find something that fits your budget, schedule, and abilities. Set goals and crush them!
A great place to start is figuring out how often you should be exercising and how intensely. Once you have this information you can kick some butt and burn some calories!
