There are literally thousands of novel “fitness” alternatives out there that are marketed to us every day. Working in the fitness industry I see them all of the time. We are all bombarded with these offers just by turning on the television or checking our mail. When I was 40 pounds heavier, the question of which one of these activities to choose was as confusing as picking one of the thousands of diet books available. We are told that these activities are solutions to our physical problems. Whether they are some form of aerobics, new type of fusion fitness class, a new type of treadmill, elliptical machine, spinning classes or some new fitness “program”; each one screams out to us that they are the promised way to get us slim and attractive. These activities rarely if ever address the underlying problem of our excess fat which is: THE FOODS WE ARE EATING! As such the idea that these activities and their promises will solve our problems is an illusion. So, it’s like you have a bad leak in your ceiling. Instead of fixing your ceiling and permanently stopping the problem, when it rains someone just keeps handing you attractive buckets of different styles and colors that you keep putting under the leaking water. Each bucket quickly overflows and you need to keep using new buckets because the damn leak hasn’t been fixed! I want to move my body! I want you to move your body. Constantly putting these mostly trivial and silly alternatives in front of us tends to obfuscate our view of the far more useful, rational and effective exercise choices available. By that I mean sports or activities in which you will actually enjoy participating. How is it that these other choices are more effective?
BECAUSE THERE IS A CHANCE IN HELL YOU WILL KEEP DOING THEM WITHOUT REQUIRING WILL-POWER OR DISCIPLINE.
Why would you keep doing them? BECAUSE THE BENEFITS OF DOING THEM OUTWEIGH THE COSTS OF DOING THEM. I would ask you to answer the following question (start by answering this yourself) when you are considering engaging in some form of exercise:
WHO THE @!%#% CARES IF YOU ARE ENGAGING IN, OR IF YOU ARE GOOD AT THIS PARTICULAR FITNESS INDUSTRY ACTIVITY?
Do you care that you just did an hour on the elliptical machine at your local gym on the “fat burn setting”? You just did that yesterday. You also did that the day before yesterday. The day before that you did an hour on the stair climbing machine and the day before that you attended the spinning class. Do you really care that you completed any of these activities? Other than generally burning less than the caloric equivalent of 3 Oreo cookies for an hour of your hard work and valuable time, what else was accomplished here? Did you get better at the activity? Does it even matter if you get better at it? Did you enjoy it? Honestly? Was there a new and useful skill learned? Were there people involved who were equally excited and passionate about this activity? Please consider the following examples:
- I was at an Argentinean steak house one night a few years ago. I noticed the staff was moving tables and chairs off the floor and I figured they were getting ready to close up and start cleaning. Actually, the owner of the restaurant was clearing a space on the floor and encouraging one of the patrons to do an impromptu performance. Suddenly, a slender lady in a red dress stood up with her partner and began to dance. She and her partner danced the Tango – exquisitely. The owner turned up the music a little and everyone who remained in the restaurant was fixated on these two people; completely awestruck. Watching this woman dance was like experiencing liquid, physical poetry. When the dance ended everyone in the restaurant erupted in applause. I will never forget that evening or that woman. Her fitness activity was dancing, specifically the Tango. I cared; everyone at that restaurant that night cared and by the look of elation on her face I’m quite sure she cared.
- A friend of mine’s father one the World Hockey championship in his division in a huge international “old-timers” tournament in Denmark. He was almost 60 at the time. There were actually some ex-NHL players in this league. He was now a “world champ”. His team cared, his wife and kids cared, his friends cared, the fans cared, and he absolutely cared.
- A friend of mine named Dianna volunteers at an inner city homeless shelter 3 times per week. She has been doing this for many, many years. Despite the season, the temperature in this place is always high and it can get very hot for the 2 hours required. Close to 400 people per day are served a free meal. The work is very physical and very fast paced. It includes cooking, preparing and serving lots of food and the constant cleaning of the premises. As a long term volunteer, Dianna is not only appreciated, but truly needed for her exceptional philanthropy. Over the years she has made hundreds of friends associated with this shelter who look upon her humble, saintly behavior with great reverence and respect. Regarding her work – they all care, the thousands of homeless people she has helped care, the other volunteers care, and Dianna most definitely cares about this important form of exercise. She is over 70 years old and never misses a day.
- A friend of mine’s brother, after many years of practice and learning recently achieved his black belt in Kenpo Karate. His brother and family cared, his girlfriend cared, the other members of his dojo cared, and he absolutely cared. Anyone who tries to pick a fight with him in the future will likely also take notice.
In these and thousands of other examples the activities have meaning. They have relevance on so many levels. Of course, this relevance is most dear to the person undertaking the sport or activity. Remember, as long as the person’s diet is under control then the activity – like all the other fitness activities relentlessly pushed on us – is burning off the same fat calories! Earlier I posed the question as to whether we or anyone cares if we are undertaking any of the mundane fitness activities we are typically offered by the fitness industry. If you can honestly answer “yes” then you have indeed found your way. I know there will always be some people who will really find value in these activities. For other folks they will represent valuable assistance work for endurance sports. I honestly believe though, that for the majority of us, the answer will be a resounding “NO!”