What’s the difference between a trend and a fad?
One site I found noted that “fads are short-term fanaticisms” while “trends represent long-term changes or movements that are substantial to society.”
In other words, fads are here today and gone tomorrow while trends represent changes that, though new, become established over time.
With that in mind let’s take a look at some trends in fitness.
New trends in wellness and fitness
When it comes to fitness things are constantly changing.
And sometimes those changes seem to happen overnight.
For example, there are new diet crazes, new fitness routines (Zumba), new workouts, clothing, shoes, etc. The list could go on. And driving all this, of course, is the bottom line — i.e. attracting new people to become customers or keeping old customers coming back for more.
Beyond the hype, however, are substantial changes to the way we view wellness and fitness.
And in my opinion many of these changes are positive in nature.
Wellness
When it comes to wellness the first place to look is nutrition. After all, you really are what you eat.
It seems that more and more people are aware of the link between diet and wellness.
When it comes to eating, and staying, healthy recent trends are:
- raw foods
- juicing
- vegetarian or vegan only diets
- gluten free diets
And the list goes on… especially with the rise of diet-related allergies.
There’s another element to this, however, that is often overlooked. For example, in an earlier article I talked about the link between your diet and mood. Eating healthy demands more than knowing what to eat and planning your meals. To stay with the program emotional support is an important component, especially if you are looking for long-term change.
Fitness
When it comes to fitness many of us think of one word: exercise.
Back in the late 70s and early 80s that meant jogging. Then came a slew of “do-it-at-home” exercise equipment such as treadmills, stair climbers, Bowflex, etc.
So what trends are we seeing now?
The focus is on “communal” fitness programs, such as yoga, Zumba, etc.
And while the way we participate in “communal” activities may change (i.e. be a fad, remember “dancercize”) it’s clear that some sort of group fitness activity is here to stay. And when you think about it the reasons are the same as those noted above — namely, the link to emotional support to maintain lasting changes to our lifestyle.
Simply put, people are looking for more than a gym membership these days.
They either opt for group activities like those mentioned above, or for one on one instruction and support, such as using a personal trainer.
Either way the trend line is clear. “Working out” has been replaced by fitness, and “losing a few pounds” by wellness.
And in my opinion these trends are positive ones.
Are you searching for more than a gym?
If you live in Westchester, NY discover an holistic New York fitness program.
Our FitMD program combines supportive nutrition counseling and personal trainers in Westchester helping you to lose weight, get in better shape, and lead a healthier lifestyle.
For more information click the links above, or give us a call at 914-721-0071 today.
After all, it’s your health and well-being…