3 things I've been loving lately as a trainer

If you've been working out for a while (even before I became a trainer), you know how the fitness industry, like others, has it's flaws. Media has spewed various diets, fads, fitness gadgets, and certain body sizes at us for decades. Although I believe there's still a long way to go, I do feel that there has been a lot of progress, even since I became a trainer 6+ years ago. With that said, I thought it would be fun to chat about the things I've been loving lately in the fitness industry. 1. Body neutrality. Body neutrality isn't a new concept, but I do hear it talked about more. Within the last ten years, I feel like "self-love" has been a big topic. "Just love yourself!" And although I know and understand that's not said with malintent (heck, I used to preach "self-love" at one point, too), it's valid to question if self-love is really a realistic goal. Not that a person can't love themselves, but if a person struggles with body image, is it feasible to go from one end of the spectrum to the other? Maybe. But I do think that body neutrality is much more realistic and sustainable. Body neutrality has shown up more recently as a way to appreciate what your body can do vs what it looks like. Yes, I understand wanting to look good. But it's also valid to say "looking good" is perceptive. If we allow ourselves to be judgment free of ourselves and appreciate what our bodies can do, there's a good chance you're going to feel more confident and "look good" overall. 2. Intuitive eating. There's a billion ways to eat, but in the long-run, intuitive eating is potentially one of the most sustainable routes. Intuitive eating teaches you how to nourish your body, listen to your hunger cues, and make peace with food. In a world where we have too many options and too many items on the schedule, it can often feel like we're constantly scrambling to shove food in our face hole any chance we get. Almost to the point where we don't even notice if we are hungry, if we like the food, or if we actually want to eat more. Throw a strict diet on top of that and it seems nearly impossible to sustain it. To navigate away from those methods, intuitive eating has become more and more talked about as a sustainable way of eating (and we love sustainability 'round here!). Note that intuitive eating is not a weight loss method although it's possible to lose weight while eating this way. 3. Evidence-based teachings. In a world of noise, it often seems like the loudest gets heard whether it's a true statement or not. On the plus side, PubMed is being used more widely by those in the fitness industry. Not everyone knows how to breakdown research, but having the articles at fingertips makes it so much more accessible to offer suggestions. As I said, the fitness industry has a long way to go, but I do believe we're heading in the right direction and that's something to get excited about. Onward!