What is in your fitness tool box?

P90X, Crossfit, LesMills, Insanity, Wiifit; to a fitness lover's excitement, there are many different avenues one can stroll down.  I frequently get asked about all of these.  The truth is there isn't just one single avenue that takes you to a fitter lifestyle.  Every one of these programs have there own pluses and minuses.  Remember this, fitness and more specifically exercise physiology is a HUGE spectrum.  We all want to put it in a small box.  We want to find the one program, fitness article, or thing that is "the answer". Truthfully, there isn't just one answer.  Remember this statement, get it in your head.  The exercise or exercise program simply does what it does, to whom it was designed for, in light of what their age, injuries, health, and goals are.  We must always weigh the risks versus benefits of an exercise before we do it. Before you do the latest exercise of the month in your fitness mag, ask yourself, why am I doing this? If the answer corresponds with your goals, and you are actually getting muscle contraction in the intended area without straining something else then by all means, proceed.  Being more specific, the exercise benefits must be greater than the risks.   What am I talking about? Here is an example using one of the best exercises in the world:  Squats.  A squat is a squat, right?  Well, to the 20 yr old college athlete a squat is different than the 25 yr old fit person and different for the 32 yr old overweight client, and the 45 yr old half marathoner with SI joint issues.  The 20 yr old college athlete is training for performance, his range of motion, as well as weight selection will be different on his healthy young back and knees! The 25 yr old is going to get way more bang for his or her buck (less effort/more results), because let's face it you can't compete with youth.  The 32 yr old overweight client is going to have to dip their toe in before they cannonball when squatting, and the 45 yr old with SI Joint issues, well they had better not try to train like the 20 yr old athlete. The aftermath will not be good.   Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! 
     Lose the "I've found it" mentality: I have found the one thing that will work for me forever and ever 
AMEN!  Refer back to my earlier statement.  Exercise is a HUGE spectrum.  Your body is always aging and ever changing.  You may have found "it" for the time being but to keep getting results and keep from boredom, you have to keep learning and trying new things.  Keep changing it up!  Go back to your tool box, fill it with new things and get something else out.  It is not always good to do the same thing over and over.  Hello, overuse injury. If you do what you are doing, you will get what you already have.  Switching it up is a good thing for your muscles, your heart, your VO2, and your mind! Get a bigger tool box   Pull from all of it! Try something new, train for something new or hire a personal trainer! 
In good health, 
Trainer girl