As humans, we have a tendency to over-complicate things quite often, in almost all aspect of life. When you really take a minute to slow down and think about it, most things in life are really quite simple, and you likely already have (or have access to) everything you need!
The same can be said about nearly anything health and fitness related. First i’ll say this, I do believe that people over-complicate things in this area because there's so much conflicting information out there! It is not the average individual's fault that there are so many different points of view on the same subject. Take supplements for example, company ‘Rip-Offs R’ Us’ will tell you “take only supplement A, B, and C, but never D, E, and F!” Meanwhile, company ‘Thanks for the $$’ tells you, “Ohh no, A, B and C are BAD for you! Only take D, E and F if you want to lose weight and keep it off!!”
In reality, every single company/product/person/workout plan/diet plan/guru out there is simply trying to SELL you something to make themselves money. Truth be told, I write these blog articles because I am trying to SELL you on my knowledge so you know that I know what i'm talking about and you want to continue to work with someone that actually cares about your well-being and progress… but still in a sense I am trying to sell you on something (and not afraid to admit that, as most others are!)
So yes, companies make it complicated on purpose in the hopes that the average individual never learns any better and continues to buy into stupid things that they really don’t need so they can keep getting more and more rich off of you. The same holds true for the people selling workout routines. One guru will tell you, “workout A is the only way to gain muscle and lose fat and keep it off, and it's backed by science!” A second guru (who also simply wants your money) will tell you, “The days of workout A are over, we have discovered a brand new technique called workout B, and its life changing!)
If you’ve been following this blog your memory should be taking you back to another article I wrote called “What is the Best Workout Routine in the World?”. Long story short, this article tells you that the best workout routine is simply the one that you will STICK WITH. You can get amazing results off almost every single workout routine every created (unless it's truly horrible). You must enjoy doing it or you will not stick with it, that is human nature (besides for most people's jobs for whatever reason :) So get the idea that ‘one is better than the other’ out of your head. I will say this however, there are certainly better routines for strength training as opposed to cardiovascular training and endurance, so do your research or contact a qualified professional when starting any new exercise routine.
Now let's stop and think about what you really NEED for your health and fitness routine.
You need somewhere you can exercise, preferably with some strength training included.
You need to eat a balanced diet and get sufficient protein/carbs/healthy fats and vitamins and minerals.
THAT. IS. IT. Seriously, that's it. Those two things are all you actually NEED for a successful routine that can 100% absolutely give you amazing results. Now how complicated is that? Hint- It's not.
So you don’t need a shakeweight, you don’t need $150 workout shoes, you don’t need the AB lounge (or any of those ridiculous ab things you see on TV), you don’t need the belt that electro-shocks your fat gut into a 6-pack, you don’t need 908 supplements to ensure proper muscle function and growth (assuming your diet is nutritionally balanced and well planned), etc…
If you quit over-complicating things and stop to think, turns out it's pretty darn simple isn't it? The rest of what you need to be successful comes from within you. You can call it drive, determination, dedication, heart, willpower, perseverance, resolve, consistency, or any other synonym you can come up with… it all means the same thing in this instance. It’s all about your ability to continue doing the things you know you should be doing day in and day out until you have reached your goal (ie: exercising 3-5 days per week, eating a well balanced diet, staying away from the unhealthy foods, etc…) Still don’t have a goal? Well back up a minute, and come up with one… because that should be step 1!
Another thing that is important to touch on, is the fact that even though almost any exercise routine has the potential to deliver you awesome results, it's of utmost importance that you are performing all of the exercises properly to make sure you don’t get hurt. And if you are hurt, or recovering from some sort of injury, it’s of utmost importance that you are doing the right things to help that injury heal faster rather than hinder its progress. This is where it is essential to contact a qualified professional! Your health, safety, and well-being should always come first.
As trainers at Fitness Fusion we do all we can during the classes to assist with form and answer questions and talk about nutrition, but sometimes that is not enough. If you’re feeling like you’re not seeing progress toward your goal I urge you to reach out to us and set up a free assessment and movement screen. I have seen so many people throughout the years be so consistent with their routine year after year after year… but never make any progress, and I don’t want that to be you!
Always remember this: KISS (keep it simple stupid :) and avoid all the extra noise out there!
Thanks for reading! I hope to hear from you soon to talk about how we can help you hit your goals and implement the perfect workout program for YOU!
Brian Lepine
Fitness Fusion
413-977-3938