Changing gears

By Joe Fox

Here we are.  Another year behind us and we wonder, “What will the future bring?”  Well many experts will go into great detail about their training methods and how their plans are far superior to any other training.  Of course, to pick a specific training plan based on your health, genetics and physical fitness is normally better suited to self-design.   

OMG just do it myself?  Yes, much like winning the lottery, if a person is given or reads and implements someone else’s fitness plan, the person will quickly go back to their normal lifestyle.  Without a personal time investment, the plan will likely only be used for the time it took to read about it.

Think about getting healthy as you would anything else that effects long-term life enjoyment.  If a person had to save $30,000 and pay cash for an automobile, how much thought would that person take into purchasing the car?  On the other hand, if a person is given $30,000 and is told to buy a car with the money, would as much thought go into that decision? 

Now think about your health and fitness, if you could take a pill rather than eating and exercising in a healthy manner, would you?  According to IBISWorld the vitamin and supplement industry is a $28 billion industry, employing nearly 50,000 people worldwide.  So the answer would seem to be, “yes” people would rather take a pill. Now for the shocker, a recent six-year, scientific study with 8000+ participants by Nancy University in France, one of France’s leading research universities, found that taking multivitamin tablets have no health benefits.   

Of course many scientific studies have shown the benefits of a specific supplement or a particular vitamin that will enhance specific athletic performance.  So, once again, the onerous is on the individual to find the food, vitamin or supplement that will specifically help his or her goals.  The morale is that taking the easy way, popping a single multivitamin pill, will not benefit an individual.

So now you have control of your healthy future.  The Internet is a great source for information.  Use it to help develop your specific health goals for the new year and for your life.  A lifestyle change can last your entire life; whereas, training plans only last a few months or maybe a year.

If you decide to start exercising, think of activities that you will be able to perform for your entire life.  These activities typically include bicycling, walking, swimming, weight lifting and tennis.  Each of these activities can be performed whether a person is young or old and would be a great foundation for any future health plan.   

Remember, that the biggest secret of most health clubs is that the vast majority of the club’s trainers are genetically gifted with leaner or athletic bodies.  Before taking the advice of any individual or fitness program, look for examples of people that are similar to you and the benefits for those specific people.  In other words, read many plans, look at many pictures and then develop your best plan.  Yes, a little more time, but the plan would be much more effective.  How much time is your future health worth?