With 2013 well underway and many looking to live healthier lifestyles this year, Stacy Irvine stopped by to outline what she’s seeing in regards to health trends in Canada.
1. Obesity in adults and children
“It is unfortunate that for yet another year we are talking about obesity in adults and children,” Stacy says.
We have yet to see any significant positive changes with this debilitating problem. One-third of Canadian children are overweight or obese. There is no easy solution to this situation but Stacy says that we, collectively, need to work together to see improvements.
Based on research and personal experience, Stacy recommends:
- Eliminating sugar-filled drinks from your diet
- Limiting screen time that is not work-related to one hour per day
- Standing or walking as much as possible throughout the day
- Trying to be outside as much as possible
2. Qualified fitness instructors:
As the fitness industry is growing very fast, and it is still an unregulated profession, this is an important topic to be aware of. When you are working with fitness professionals or looking for someone to help you out, you should always check their qualifications.
When looking for a fitness expert, ensure their main qualifications are as follows:
- A university degree in kinesiology or physical education
- A college diploma in fitness
- Certified strength and conditioning specialist
- Certified kinesiologist
- Canadian Fitness Professional certification (CanFitPro)
There are literally thousands of certifications available in the health and fitness industry. Finally, because this industry changes quickly, it is important that everyone working in the industry participates in continuing education, Stacy says.
3. Multi-purpose exercise equipment:
This trend is continuing in fitness with the introduction of several new types of equipment that are considered multi-use. This means that with one piece of training equipment you can literally do hundreds of exercises. Gone are the days of a single bicep curl machine taking up a ton of space on your gym floor.
4. Meditation and breathing:
We are seeing this trend with both high performance athletes and the general public, Stacy says. Now that everyone is so “plugged in” and constantly on the go, we need to find moments in our day for relaxation and quiet. The research in meditation is consistently positive for several physical and mental benefits.
If you are new to meditation, a “guided” format is a great starting point, Stacy recommends. This means that you will be guided through the meditation and you simply follow along with the images and ideas. These are tools that high performance athletes have used for years, and now we are seeing breathing techniques becoming more popular with the general public.
What are you doing to improve your health in 2013? Share your suggestions in the comments below.