Part 1 of 2 I'm under the impression that the health and fitness world wants to keep the information that I'm about to tell you as a guarded secret. Why? So we don't lose our jobs! If everyone one knows what's new and hot in the industry, who needs to fitness professional, right? Well, I'm willing to take the chance and actually give you the information--burst the bubble and tell you what the buzz is in our little world--so you can get a quick start in 2006 on your fitness and health goals and get yourself in the shape you've always dreamed of. There's always new and incredible products on the market and believe me some of these things are absolutely awesome! But others, as I'm sure you know are complete duds... how many of you still have the Thigh Master? Which diet should you try? Which supplements should you buy? Where is everyone exercising this year? This year it looks like some of the old standbys, I mean thousand year old standbys, are in, while some of the fads of 2005 are fading fast--soon to be outdated and replaced with what REALLY works! So without further ado, here's a list of what's in for 2006 and what is old new from 2005. Atkins is OUT Sorry, no more pepperoni and sausage pizzas sans crust. The Atkins company went under last year after operating briefly without it's fearless leader, Dr. Robert Atkins, who died of complications from a fall on the ice in 2004... which certainly is something I've always found fishy... considering the heart risks that come with his diet. Could something like an MI cause a sudden collapse on a slippery sidewalk? Hmmm. The Atkins Diet helped people lose record weight, but also caused greasy skin, raised cholesterol and increased the chance of the yo-yo diet by promoting a way of eating that at best could be called "grossly unnatural". Raw Foods IN! Carol Alt is our new leader. The raw food revolution has taken its hold due to her persistent work and promotion. More people are recognizing the benefits of raw foods and how they can increase your health. Diets full of raw foods--30-40% is OK, 50-60% is excellent--will help lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugar levels, help you lose weight and get you healthy in no time. What's so special about uncooked foods? Much of the cooked and packaged foods we eat are completely depleted of nutrients because of the way they are prepared. Raw foods not only keep the nutrients intact--just as nature wanted--they also carry live enzymes that your body needs for great health and fitness. Get out and buy a book or two on how to cook (sorry... "prepare"!) raw foods, incorporate them into your diet once a day and you'll see the difference immediately! Bench Press OUT Sorry, Muscleheads, the bench press is old news. Keep piling on the weight and watch your shoulders and rotator cuff disintegrate. Other exercises that are definitely out for the recreational lifter are: Leg Curls (Quad and Hamstring), Dead Lift and Military Press. Each of these exercises are too often abused and cause a large number of gym injuries every year. If you do them, be sure you have a trained fitness professional help you with your form... but even then be wary, they were most likely trained in the old school. Body Weight Exercises IN! Could you believe that exercises over 5000 years old could be making a comeback?!?! There's a reason they are still around... they work!!! Exercises like the Upward Dog/Downward Dog, Hindu Squat, and the Sun Salute are coming back big time because exercise professionals have seen their benefits over and over and over again. These exercises don't isolate, they give you a full body workout stimulating all your muscle groups, your GI system, your nervous system and your heart. Talk about efficiency! Hydrogenated Oils OUT! No more Trans-Fats! We won't take it anymore! For those of you who don't know, trans-fats or hydrogenated oils are what the big food companies have been putting in your snack foods since the 1960's to extend the shelf life of their products. These are modified oils that can take a serious toll on the body--scaring arteries and causing heart disease. You body reads these fats just like it would other fats and distributes them accordingly... problem is, the trans-fats don't do the same functions that the regular fats do... in fact they do NOTHING except hang around and clog your arteries. Next time you pick up any packaged food, look at the ingredients. If you see hydrogenated oils (or partially) put it down and try a new product without them! Beware, this might be a trying task. Many of the foods we eat have been loaded with this stuff for years. But if you stick it to the trans-fats, your body will thank you! Cod Liver Oil... IN! You heard me right. Cod Liver Oil is IN! Your grandmother might be proud to hear it... but many people think gross, gross and more gross! But what's great is that you can get the oil in pill form for those of you how don't like the thought of swigging a tablespoon of this miracle oil every morning. Why is it good for you? Vitamin E and Omega 3 Oils are essential for your circulation and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease! Good fats work wonders for your heart. In the winter, get a product like Carlson's that has vitamins A and D added. The A will help with your skin, eyes and mucus membranes. And since you're probably away from the sun more often than not in the cold months, you can get the D from the oil for strong bones and calcium absorption! That's it for the first half... next week, I'll continue the list with the best "-biotics", why core strength training is causing more injury than good, and more! Stay tuned! |
