A few weeks ago, I attended a conference in Chicago, and one of the presenters spoke about the 8 things the public still doesn’t understand about fitness. It was a very entertaining presentation, so I have decided to share it with you today.
1. Running doesn’t help you lose weight.
Running is a great way to build general health and fitness, increase lung capacity, and improve mental health. It does not help you to burn fat or lose weight.
2. You only need 3 hours a week of exercise (Not 100!).
3 hours of exercise a week is enough to reduce your risk of heart disease, depression, weight gain, diabetes, some cancers, and premature death. 3 hours a week is 1.8% of your time. MAKE TIME TO EXERCISE.
3. Fitness is not an all-or-nothing event.
You don’t have to kill yourself every time you walk into the gym. Chasing soreness or the feeling of getting hit by a truck is not the goal. You should, however, commit to no “zero days”. A zero day is when you don’t move at all. I’m not saying you can’t have rest days, but on those busy days or off days, go for a walk, ride your bike, or do some light stretching. Try to hit at least 4,000 steps each day.
4. Being “normal” shouldn’t be “weird”.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you’re boring. Going to bed before 10 doesn’t mean you’re not fun. Having no zero days doesn’t mean you’re obsessed. Limiting your alcohol intake doesn’t mean you’re a buzz kill. How did being a normal, healthy human become considered weird in our society? If that’s the case, BE WEIRD.
5. Don’t wait to start your fitness journey.
Don’t wait to start your fitness journey until you have free time. The best time to start is when you’re the busiest. Learning to fit in training sessions when times are tough means you’ll be more likely to stick with it over the long haul.
6. Don’t just exercise to “look good”.
Exercise is so much more than looking good naked. Exercise has been proven time and again to reduce anxiety, build strong bones, increase brain function, improve sleep quality, decrease risk of all-cause mortality/cancer, increase life expectancy, etc. Physical fitness is the only real superpower that we have as humans. SO USE IT, DAMN IT!
7. Alcohol is not helping you.
Alcohol is poison to our body. Literally, the only thing you can do to cure a hangover, scientifically, is to not drink so much the night before. In addition, it causes sleep interruption, promotes swelling, and inhibits hormones that are released to stimulate recovery. If you genuinely care for your long-term health, drink in moderation or not at all. (Moderation is my suggestion, because I mean come on.)
8. The heaviest weight in the Gym is the front door.
You read that right, it’s not the 106lb kettlebell or the 405 lb deadlift. The hardest step in the journey is to simply walk up to and open the door. One year from now, you’ll wish you had started on your quest today.
I got a lot out of this presentation, and I hope that you find this helpful as well. A little and often over the long haul leads to the greatest success. Don’t just stand there, DO SOMETHING!
Yours in motivation,
Nick
