Health and fitness today are a business, so it makes sense why new trends appear all the time.
Every edible product is being reinvented and marketed as a healthier version of its previous variant. The fitness industry is spread all around us with promises of weight loss and muscle gain at every step.
This is both a boon and a curse at the same time for consumers. Each time someone enters the supermarket in search of healthy food, the choices can be overwhelming and confusing, to say the least.
When the same person searches online for a product or a diet that might help him/her lose some unwanted pounds, the list of options is once again confusing and overwhelming.
So, how is the average consumer supposed to find trends in health and fitness that actually work?
Well, that is precisely why we have prepared this list of four effective recent trends in health. They are actually worth investing your time and money into if you are serious about reaching your fitness goals.
Online Workouts
At one time, it would not have sounded sane if someone said that working out and the internet can be actually used simultaneously to make you fitter and healthier! That time is gone though because online workouts are all the rage right now, with sufficient justifications to make it a trend worth trying.
To clear out any confusion, let’s discuss what it is exactly first. An online or streaming workout is when your fitness trainer helps you work out from anywhere in the world by being with you on a live session via a video call. It is similar to an online course where teachers hold live classes via video calls over the internet.
It’s worth trying if you don’t find enough time to get to a gym regularly and you also have some basic exercise equipment at home, or maybe even a small home gym. The charges are usually cheaper than what it would cost you if you hired the same trainer to train you in person, of course. So there’s that economic advantage as well.
Saunas
If you attend a gym or health club, it’s very likely that you’ve seen a sauna room. These are designed to help you relax after a busy gym session, and also have a number of health benefits as well.
For starters, saunas can have a beneficial effect on your heart health. Research has shown that the high temperatures in saunas encourage blood vessels to expand. This helps to lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
Some athletes also use saunas to help improve their endurance levels. Power and muscle strength both improve after sauna use so many athletes now take them on a regular basis to reap the benefits of this.
In addition, saunas can also aid with weight loss. There are even vests that induce sweating during exercise and provide similar effects to visiting an actual sauna. Although most of this does come from you losing water weight – which is not ideal – saunas do also increase the heart rate which can help to burn more calories while in a sitting position.
Combined with the metabolic increase experienced after exercise, and this could be one of the easiest ways of losing weight.
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
High-intensity interval training is more of a universal discipline than a specific form of exercise. It concerns putting your body through a rigorous workout within a very short interval of time. Not only does it save time, but the HIIT principle can also be adopted effectively into strength training, cardio, and stamina building simultaneously.
If you have been in fitness for a significant amount of time, you probably already know what HIIT is. But just in case you don’t, it might be time to look it up.
Studies have shown that HIIT for most of us is actually more beneficial than traditional cardiovascular exercise when it comes to burning fat. That makes it a trend you should not only try but stick to as well.
Do keep in mind that HIIT may not be ideal for people who are morbidly obese or have any other physical condition that clinically prohibits them from high-intensity interval training.
Barre Classes
Barre-based fitness classes have been on the rise over the past few years. Not only do they help to tone muscles, but they can also help to improve flexibility and posture. With many of us working in office jobs that require little movement throughout the day, the benefits of this cannot be understated.
And you don’t necessarily have to have any dance experience to join a barre class. You can expect to do many of the same exercises as ballerinas, just in a less strict environment.
Although barre classes may seem a little bit intimidating upon first sight, especially to beginners, they actually require no experience in dancing in order to get started.
They’re suitable for people of all fitness levels as well. When you sign up, you should find that there is a selection of different classes for all abilities. Some instructors who run group classes will also be happy for you to work at your own pace rather than jumping in at the deep end.
Everyone who participates in a barre class will leave with what is known in barre circles as the “barre burn”. The classes will also give you a huge boost of endorphins, leaving you feeling great for hours after each session.
Within a few weeks, you will notice a marked increase in your endurance, strength, and flexibility. This will leave you wanting to return to classes time and time again.
Closing thoughts
We excluded the use of technology such as wearable tech from this brief and selective list of trends, although the business around fitness tech is huge at the moment. There is no harm in trying out a fitness band and it can even be beneficial to a lot of people.
Nonetheless, as long as you keep these three trends in mind as you head towards a leaner and fitter 2019, your health and fitness should be on point without having to look at any additional trends for the time being.
