Often, we get so caught up in trends and the highlights of what others are doing that we forget or lose sight of what we should be doing. As a fitness coach for more than 21 years, I’ve seen trends come and go, only to resurface again later. I’ve watched people start a fitness journey, stop, and then begin again years down the road.  Some go too hard, too soon and end up injured or burned out very quickly.

I’d like to share one tip and one truth you can take with you, whether you’re a regular at the gym or simply want your goal to be healthier in your daily life.

My tip: Pick the lowest-hanging fruit.
 For almost everyone I’ve worked with, moving more is the number one priority. I didn’t say “work out.” Just move. It doesn’t get much easier than going for a quick walk. One of my go-to rules is 10 minutes of walking after every meal. I picked this up years ago from another coach, Stan Efferding, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.

Not only does this increase your daily movement by 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how many meals you eat, but studies have shown that walking after meals improves digestion, reduces bloating, and helps control blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity, especially important for people with diabetes. It also helps the body utilize the nutrition you’ve just taken in more effectively.

Just walking can do all that. It shows how important movement is for the human body. Yoga, strength training, golfing, pickleball, and even simple stretching are all forms of movement that will serve you well for years to come.

My truth: There is no single “best” way to do cardio.
 We need it all…from walking, which absolutely counts as cardio, to sprinting on a track. Each serves a purpose. A few years ago, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was all the rage. This involves getting your heart rate up very quickly for a short period, usually 20 to 30 seconds, then letting it recover for about a minute before repeating for 15 to 20 minutes.

It was promoted as the go-to work out for fat burning, replacing long, steady jogs on the treadmill. Less than half the time for the same results, or so we were told. The truth is, both approaches can deliver results, and we should do both. It depends on your individual goals, the time you have allotted for cardio, and most importantly what you enjoy and will stick with.  Which leads to setting your objectives.

Your goal: Consistency.
Consistency will take you further than any trend or highlight from fitness influencers’ training plans. If you’re a beginner, walking consistently every day for six months to a year can dramatically change how you look and feel. Either form of cardio mentioned above, if done consistently over time, will improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, which remains the number one cause of death in the United States.

Consistency is the real trend and the highlight we should be chasing!

In good health,
 William Roy