…Forget The Fads…

We know fads don’t work and we know why. Whether we’re talking exercise or diet or the latest toy, anything new and untested that doesn’t fit into who you are or your lifestyle is going to go where it always goes, precisely nowhere. And like the latest child’s fad toy, you’ll have wasted your time and money on something that’s effectively lying around unused and unloved.

With that in mind, is there such a thing as the perfect diet for anyone who wants to lose a few pounds or are they all just a fad? The jury’s well and truly out on that one it seems. While most people will see some kind of result if they stick with a diet regime, such as Noom for example, the biggest issue is still the long term effect that dieting has on the body and whether weight loss is sustainable.

You will get fad diets that get the weight off, and fast but without a real change in lifestyle and attitude to health and nutrition, the weight piles back on very quickly and the dieter is often left heavier than before the diet, plunging them back into a cycle of weight loss, gain and diet that seems to never end.

So, what are the secrets to weight loss and an all-round healthier lifestyle? Certainly not a fad anything, but instead simple, sustainable changes.

Image from Pexels

If you’re tempted to buy into that brand-new detox, step away from your smartphone. Not only are these fad diets incredibly expensive, they do absolutely nothing to rid your body of toxins and will only leave you hungry and down quite a few dollars. Instead think about making some changes that will pay off in the long term, namely:

Diet: not dieting but how and what you eat. Think about yourself as a machine that needs fuel and a good variety of fuel at that. Think less about how many carbs here and how much protein there but instead about creating colourful, fresh plates that satisfy you and give your body vitality and strength. Eat only what you need and stop when you’re satisfied.

Movement: If you love a run or a swim, great keep going. For those who aren’t really tied to a particular sport set about finding some movement that your body loves. That might be long walks through some beautiful countryside, playing a team sport or spending some time in the garden. Anything that gets you active and releases those endorphins.

Mentality: think of yourself holistically and not just a set of numbers on a scale. Treat your body as your best investment and you’ll make great decisions now and into the future. Keep your mind and body active for long term health.

Forget the fads, forget the short-term detox regimes. Think about the future and how you plan to keep healthy and active with a great diet, movement that brings you joy and a positive mental attitude. You’re worth the investment so make some great health deposits today.

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…Fitness Fads Are Bad. Period…

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Fitness fads have been around since the dawn of time. You know this is true when you can find out which one was in fashion the year of your birth. Fun fact: hula-hooping goes back as far as the 1950s. Regardless of their age, they have been tempting people for decades and quite often they get a response. There isn’t a person on the planet who doesn’t want rock hard abs in eight minutes. If you’re under their spell and thinking about giving one a go, know that they are not healthy. No matter what the “experts” say, fads are bad, period.

Scroll down to find out why.

They’re Dangerous

And this isn’t a reference to the silent damage they can do to your body. We’ll get onto how they impact you under the hood later on in the post. No, this is a shout out the blatant deathtraps that have been masquerading as fitness regimes over the years. From rollerblading to vibrating belts and trampolining, the odds of suffering an injury are very high. Fitness fads such as jet skiing are one reason the Derrick Law Firm represents the seriously injured among others. Although the old methods are basic, they aren’t unsafe.

They’re Unregulated

One fad doing the rounds at the moment is nutritional supplements. While some of them are perfectly helpful, certain manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon to make a quick buck. Fat pill companies are the main culprits as they rely on people’s desire to lose weight. Not only do they not work, but nobody other than the manufacturer knows what’s in them and that’s perilous. Even with industry regulations, some sellers won’t stringently check the ingredients. Therefore, your health and wellbeing are at risk when you deal with cowboy companies.

They’re Fads

The clue is in the title. Fads may work in the short-term but the results don’t last and that can be unhealthy. When you want to lose weight, it’s essential to manage it over a long period or else you run the risk of increasing your blood pressure and cholesterol. Once the weight is off, the temptation is to switch back to a regular diet again and that’s when the problems occur. Nutrients which you inevitably cut out to shed the pounds go back into your system and your body stores them as fats. Because you’ve gone cold turkey, the effect is exacerbated and you put on more weight than before.

They’re Gender Specific

Men and women are different and not every fad will take that into account. Although CrossFit appears to help men and women across the board, battle ropes aren’t the same. For the most part, the people who see the 24% increase in their pushup count over one month are women. Guys can experience a boost but it means using a heavier rope and adding on extras to the workout. This tends to lead to injuries and that’s not good for your health in the long or short-term.

If you’re considering trying one, remember that the tried and tested methods work just fine.

 

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GORUCK MACV-1 Boots Review


I’m not a boot girl.

Actually, that’s untrue. I LOVE boots especially tall, above the knee leather boots as soon as the leaves start to change..but that’s a different story.

When it comes to GORUCK events, the answer to that all important question of “But what boots did you wear?” for me was, “None. None boots.”  I’ve done over 40 events including 2 HTL’s and all of them have been in trail shoes, most specifically the Saloman’s X-mission Speedcross Trail shoes.

I’ve loved those shoes. They’ve done right by me but I’ve always been curious about boots.  Was there a boot out there that would be even better? Make my feet feel better? Give me better ankle support? Drain well? Keep my feet dry? Was there something else I could be doing for my feet to make my experience that much better?

And then GORUCK dropped the MACV-1’s so I decided to give them a shot.

I received my boots back in November and wanted to really test them out before writing my thoughts.

Stats:

  •  Worn for the 9/11 Hero’s 5K Run (rucked/ran)
  •  Worn GORUCK Sandy Hook Light (including in a freezing lake, trails, basketball court)
  • Worn GORUCK Santa Ruck Light DC (rained the entire event, National Mall area of DC)
  • Worn over 20+ training ruck miles
  • Worn about town

First, men’s sizes.  Keep that in mind if you’re ordering.

Second,  I sized up 1/2 size. I do this with all my athletic shoes to account for swelling during events. It was the right call and I’m glad I went with my gut on that.

Being a sneaker girl, it took me a little bit to get use to wearing boots. I  had to get used to the new feelings around my ankles and feet as well as figuring out if my old sock configuration would still work ( Side note: after trial and error– it does! Injinji toe socks and Darn Tough wool socks).  It took about 3 wears until my ankles felt ok and weren’t sore wearing the boots.  That being said, they didn’t really need any other breaking in.  Besides getting used to them being higher, they felt soft and fit well around my feet right away.

As multiple people have said, they are light. They’re lighter than my Salomans.  I ruck ran part of my 5K and was pleasantly surprised by that.  Knowing I didn’t have that extra weight during flutter kicks was also nice.

When it comes to being wet— I wore them in the rain in the city, on trails, through swampy muddy puddles and into a partially frozen lake.   They drained well and kept my feet reasonably warm (as warm as they can be in a frozen lake, that is)

Honestly, my only real issue has been that they’re slippery.  On wet grass, black top and slick pavement.  The more tread on the pavement, the less slippage.  The smoother the pavement, the more slippery.  That has been a little hard to get used but I’m also coming from the background of wearing trail shoes with really good tread.

Overall, the boots are pretty great.  If you’re looking for boots, or thinking about making the switch to boots from sneakers, these are worth a shot.

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