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The Great Fitness Scam
Replies
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Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.2 -
Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »The United States leads the world in spending for every segment, including fitness classes ($37 billion), sports and recreation ($58 billion), apparel and footwear ($117 billion), equipment and supplies ($37.5 billion), mindful movement, such as yoga ($10 billion), and related technology ($8.1 billion). And yet, according to the academic journal The Lancet, for all of this spending, we rank 143rd globally for actual participation in physical activity.
Not so fast. Almost half the spending was "apparel and footwear", which lots of people buy simply to wear, not to increase their fitness. It's misleading to include sneakers, yoga pants, baseball hats, and other dual-purpose products in their numbers.
Second, it's false to assume that those who don't get enough activity are the same subset of people who spend on classes, sports, devices, etc. Those who spend on fitness are probably more likely to be meeting the activity guidelines than those with little to no spending. So if less was spent on fitness, even fewer people might meet the guidelines. And conversely, more might be meeting the guidelines if more people invested in their fitness.
I agree with his solutions, just not the cheap shot at the fitness industry, which overall, is helping the problem, not causing it.15 -
Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »
"Find something you love and do it." is bad advice for most people. If getting in shape was that much fun, we would all be in great shape. Sure, you can do fun things that simultaneously increase your fitness, but in reality, most of the effective fitness things you do are rigorous and not that much fun. The gratification for me is always getting it over with - get out of bed, get to the gym / out on the street / in the pool / on your bike / etc., and just knock it out. Make it a habit, do it so often and so consistently that you don't entertain the idea of skipping it or quitting. It is up there with your job, taking care of your family, maintaining your house, etc. Just another mandatory thing you do.
The takeaway from this article is that we just want to throw money at something that is understood to increase fitness and hope that is enough. If I get that great looking workout outfit, that $400 Garmin, and join that cool gym, then I will certainly be compelled to get in shape. This clearly doesn't work.
This is a great topic. Thanks for sharing.
To me, your bolded comment above hit the nail on the head regarding what works and what doesn't in determining long term fitness success. Fitness must become a habit. What's the saying? "We are what we habitually do." Motivation comes and goes (just read the forum posts!) but those who are physically fit have made fitness a habit that is part of their lifestyle.
With that said, does that mean that I shouldn't be looking at a new Garmin, a new spandex race kit and fancy carbon wheels for my bike?
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I think this goes beyond just fitness related spending. Pretty much all products are marketed with the proposition that they will make your life easier and solve your problems without you having to put in any effort. You see the same thing with kitchen appliances, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, etc. I'm sure the US also leads the world in spending on those areas, too. We're just conditioned to think that spending money is in some way going to improve our lives and make us happier, and that possessing objects is an indicator of success.7
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I think this goes beyond just fitness related spending. Pretty much all products are marketed with the proposition that they will make your life easier and solve your problems without you having to put in any effort. You see the same thing with kitchen appliances, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, etc. I'm sure the US also leads the world in spending on those areas, too. We're just conditioned to think that spending money is in some way going to improve our lives and make us happier, and that possessing objects is an indicator of success.
Yeah, that was my thought too, as well as that the US likely leads the world in lots of different kinds of spending.1 -
I think this goes beyond just fitness related spending. Pretty much all products are marketed with the proposition that they will make your life easier and solve your problems without you having to put in any effort. You see the same thing with kitchen appliances, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, etc. I'm sure the US also leads the world in spending on those areas, too. We're just conditioned to think that spending money is in some way going to improve our lives and make us happier, and that possessing objects is an indicator of success.
Yeah, that was my thought too, as well as that the US likely leads the world in lots of different kinds of spending.
and that's probably directly related to the fact that the US is the richest country in the world.3 -
"In addition, the health and fitness industry has become obsessed with complexity..."
^^^This...0 -
IMO, a big part of it is also the reality that people need to manage their expectations. It isn't a linear process and it takes time. You did not get fat and out of shape overnight, so getting lean and fit won't happen overnight either.
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IMO, a big part of it is also the reality that people need to manage their expectations. It isn't a linear process and it takes time. You did not get fat and out of shape overnight, so getting lean and fit won't happen overnight either.
So many infomercials or "weight loss systems" promise that it will be fast and you will not have to change anything else about your life.0 -
IMO, a big part of it is also the reality that people need to manage their expectations. It isn't a linear process and it takes time. You did not get fat and out of shape overnight, so getting lean and fit won't happen overnight either.
Well it is a linear process but we have no easy way of measuring/perceiving it. Trusting the power of incremental change is not always easy.3 -
IMO, a big part of it is also the reality that people need to manage their expectations. It isn't a linear process and it takes time. You did not get fat and out of shape overnight, so getting lean and fit won't happen overnight either.
Well it is a linear process but we have no easy way of measuring/perceiving it. Trusting the power of incremental change is not always easy.
And this...is why.
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"The Global Wellness Institute listed a few causes for the discrepancy between dollars spent on physical activity in the our country and actual participation: we don’t have enough sidewalks or bike lanes, youth sports have become too expensive and hypercompetitive, we lack a supportive and communal exercise culture."
These are not small factors.
I grew up in a quieter borough of a city with sidewalks everywhere, as well as good public transportation and public recreation programs. I walked or biked almost everywhere - schools, library, friends' houses, parks, stores - getting several hours of physical exercise each day. During winter, we grabbed our skates and sleds and walked to the city-run parks or took a bus to the municipal ice-skating rink. During the summers, I walked or rode my bike to the city recreation camp at the local public school, or, when I was older, took the bus to meet up with friends at the beach or at free concerts in the parks. Although I was not particularly athletic (more of a book nerd, really), I was fairly fit and weight wasn't an issue.
Now I live in the suburbs. We have few sidewalks, no bike lanes, strip malls on highways rather than walkable downtowns, inadequate public transportation, and generally expensive private recreation programs. Sadly, I've become too reliant on my car. Since I stopped working in the city, I've become much less fit, and managing my weight is a constant battle.
I love biking, but if I want to ride, I need to load up my bike and drive to a safe trail. I could (and sometimes do) walk to the closest grocery store or a nearby restaurant or the Italian ice stand, but at least half the journey means walking in the street, an exercise made more difficult when those streets are dark or narrowed by mounds of brush or leaves or snow. The post office, bookstore, clothing stores, salons, etc. - all places I could walk to in the city - are located on busy roads or in malls.
Too many drivers routinely ignore the residential speed limits or speed up to avoid stopping for approaching pedestrians and cyclists. An aquaintance who is an avid cyclist was critically injured and permanently disabled when he was hit a few blocks from his home by a driver who turned into him trying to beat the light. A few months ago, a woman out walking in my town was hit and killed.
Suburbanites may join gyms with the best of intentions, but when exercise is extra rather than integral to daily life, it's hard to make it a habit. If we want healthier citizens and lower health care costs, we need to support an appropriate infrastructure.17 -
magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Pretty much this, with the exception that I'm less disciplined about weights, and I mostly substitute boat-love for bike-love.
I find it weird, in fact, that people talk about "cardio" as if it were all one thing, with the same characteristics and benefits. It's not really sensible even to compare weight training to "cardio" in anything but the most high-level terms, because the different methods and modalities (of both, but especially "cardio") are so very different. Walking on a treadmill, biking (of different types!), swimming, rowing, using a stair-climber, others . . . all have rather different cumulative effects on the body, even though they're all "cardio".3 -
Eh, cAMP pathway versus mTOR.cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Pretty much this, with the exception that I'm less disciplined about weights, and I mostly substitute boat-love for bike-love.
I find it weird, in fact, that people talk about "cardio" as if it were all one thing, with the same characteristics and benefits. It's not really sensible even to compare weight training to "cardio" in anything but the most high-level terms, because the different methods and modalities (of both, but especially "cardio") are so very different. Walking on a treadmill, biking (of different types!), swimming, rowing, using a stair-climber, others . . . all have rather different cumulative effects on the body, even though they're all "cardio".
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cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Pretty much this, with the exception that I'm less disciplined about weights, and I mostly substitute boat-love for bike-love.
I find it weird, in fact, that people talk about "cardio" as if it were all one thing, with the same characteristics and benefits. It's not really sensible even to compare weight training to "cardio" in anything but the most high-level terms, because the different methods and modalities (of both, but especially "cardio") are so very different. Walking on a treadmill, biking (of different types!), swimming, rowing, using a stair-climber, others . . . all have rather different cumulative effects on the body, even though they're all "cardio".
I call it cardio if my primary objective is a sustained increase in heart rate. I do not consider walking outside cardio because I don't really care about my heart rate I just want to be outside moving.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Exactly this.
I don't consider hiking "fun" and got a lot of flack for saying so in a hiking community. I love doing it, it's peaceful, the views are to die for, it can be educational in the sense that I'll see something when I'm out on (or off) a trail and then come back to civilization and learn about what I saw, it deepens my appreciation of life, makes me feel like I'm using my limited time on this Earth wisely ... I could go on and on. But I never do it for exercise or calories, I do it because it's rewarding.2 -
magnusthenerd wrote: »
Eh, cAMP pathway versus mTOR.cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Pretty much this, with the exception that I'm less disciplined about weights, and I mostly substitute boat-love for bike-love.
I find it weird, in fact, that people talk about "cardio" as if it were all one thing, with the same characteristics and benefits. It's not really sensible even to compare weight training to "cardio" in anything but the most high-level terms, because the different methods and modalities (of both, but especially "cardio") are so very different. Walking on a treadmill, biking (of different types!), swimming, rowing, using a stair-climber, others . . . all have rather different cumulative effects on the body, even though they're all "cardio".
IMU, which is admittedly very limited/amateur, it doesn't seem that pure, in practice, even considering potential inhibition effects. Real-world activities involve complex patterns, and have diverse results.
If a person's trying to optimize a particular effect (physical outcome), purity probably matters. If just trying to have a good time, be healthier, feel better . . . different physical effects on the body from different "cardio" choices are a thing that happens.1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Exactly this.
I don't consider hiking "fun" and got a lot of flack for saying so in a hiking community. I love doing it, it's peaceful, the views are to die for, it can be educational in the sense that I'll see something when I'm out on (or off) a trail and then come back to civilization and learn about what I saw, it deepens my appreciation of life, makes me feel like I'm using my limited time on this Earth wisely ... I could go on and on. But I never do it for exercise or calories, I do it because it's rewarding.
This is exactly how I feel about jumping rope. I feel like a kid when I jump rope. Add to that the fun in learning new techniques etc...1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »Interesting there seems to be at least a few people that found a cardio that was fun, but view weights as purely functional.
I'm about the opposite. I've found running fun at the times I've done something new in it, but even the scenic outdoors stuff, I still just get the most out of whatever I'm listening to and the health.
Weights I tend to find a way to keep pushing at, even at times I know my current deficit means practical advancement is not possible. Even for all the time I was stuck using just barbell routines by the limits of working out at home.
Yeah, lifting is purely functional for me. I like what it does for my body aesthetically and as I get older it'll be nice to be able to get off the toilette or couch or in and out of my car easier because I do squats and it's nice to be able to move furniture or whatever around when I need to. Also, strong legs makes climbing hills on the bike a heck of a lot more fun.
As cycling goes, I don't ever even really think about it in terms of "cardio"...I mean, it is, but I never say to myself, "I need to get some cardio in, I'll go for a ride." I just go ride because it's fun AF. I'm actually ditching my trainer session this evening and bouncing early from the office because it's supposed to be around 63* and sunny with no wind and there is a single track down by the river that I haven't hit in quite awhile so I'm going to go tear that thing up this afternoon on my hardtail. It's fairly flat, so I'll be able to just cook the *kitten* out of it. Then I'm going to pick my boys up from school and we'll ride home together and grill cheeseburgers.
Exactly this.
I don't consider hiking "fun" and got a lot of flack for saying so in a hiking community. I love doing it, it's peaceful, the views are to die for, it can be educational in the sense that I'll see something when I'm out on (or off) a trail and then come back to civilization and learn about what I saw, it deepens my appreciation of life, makes me feel like I'm using my limited time on this Earth wisely ... I could go on and on. But I never do it for exercise or calories, I do it because it's rewarding.
This is exactly how I feel about jumping rope. I feel like a kid when I jump rope. Add to that the fun in learning new techniques etc...
I'm teaching my kids double dutch...2
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