With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, many will be ringing in 2010 with fitness and nutrition goals to help achieve a NEW YOU. And what exactly can people expect from fitness trends and the forecast for the upcoming year?
The most important trend is that 2010 will consist of life altering, overall health and wellness plans; instead of the “lose 20 pounds in four days” diets.
1. Pumping Iron. Strength training builds healthy bones and muscles. Your metabolism is driven by muscle and more and more people will be pumping iron in 2010.
2. Healthy Children Programs. As a society we are seeing a an alarming trend with obese children. I think we will see more and more programs tailored made for overweight and obese children and gyms that will cater exclusively to children. They will make fitness fun and help them to develop a fitness lifestyle
3. Core training. This type of training works on conditioning the core muscles, including the obliques, pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen – all of which provide needed support for the spine. A good well rounded fitness program will take care of this but since we have so many people with big bellies this type of program will have mass appeal even though spot reducing doesn’t work.
4. Medi-Gyms. This is the future of healthcare. Medi-gyms bridge the gap between the Medical and fitness communities. The baby boomer population is reaching retirement age and many are not ready grow old gracefully, they want to fight it every step of the way and are tired of going to 15 different doctors and then trying to figure out how diet and exercise fit in. Medi-Gyms like AIHF Wellness are beginning to emerge as the wave of the future where you can get a comprehensive wellness exams that address all of your healthcare and fitness needs and then you are given a lifestyle plan to enhance your health.
5. Functional fitness. This is a growing trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living for everyone including older adults. More and more trainers are focusing on this type of training using regular weights and kettle bells. Kettle bells have reemerged after a few decades of being placed in moth balls.
6. Pilates. Incorporating core training using the entire body and these classes are very popular in many gyms today.
7. Group training. This trend reflects the economy and makes a lot of sense. Instead of training one on one with a trainer you will work out with a small group with the trainer. It makes training more affordable but also fun.
8. Fitness menu’s. More restaurants will offer foods that are in line with the needs of people living a fitness lifestyle.
9. Miracle potions. Unfortunately I think we will see more “miracle’ products that over promise and under deliver. For example the berry that will not only have you loose weight but make you two inches taller and more handsome (only a slight exaggeration). Fat burners that will not only have you loose 80 lbs in 12 weeks it will have all your body hair vanish and give you an incredible, vibrant tan plus have you ready for the cover of a magazine (another slight exaggeration). “Snake oil” products have been around for a long time and I don’t think they will disappear in 2010.
10. Repackaged Truths. Last but not least I think you will see old school training principles from the bodybuilding community renamed and sold for a huge profit to hungry consumers.
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