In this session of The Fit Desk Jockey Podcast we take a look at 10 Fitness Program Red Flags. Red flags have been used as warning devices as far back as at least the 1700s, when they were raised to indicate rising flood waters. Since then they’ve been used in countless applications, everything from semaphore on railways, to indicating dangerous conditions on beaches. The FTC even has what’s called a” Red Flag Rule” that requires many organizations to have a written Identity Theft Prevention Program designed to detect the warning signs of identity theft in their day-to-day operations of the organization.
In ALL of these instances the red flag is used as a warning signal to draw our attention to something that may require further investigation, or immediate action.
Below are 10 fitness red flags that you should watch out for while you’re cruising along on your fitness journey, especially if you want to live as the absolute best version of you. While the existence of a red flag doesn’t necessarily mean that your fitness program is crap, it should give you reason to pause and reevaluate the path you’re on to achieve your goals. Is there a better way for you?
To Put It Simply: Health and Fitness are about progress, not perfection. click to Tweet
One important thing to keep in mind is that fitness is BIG business. In fact, Americans spent over $60 BILLION dollars on fitness in 2012; however our rising obesity rates indicate that most people are not getting what they’re paying for. That’s not to say that all fitness programs and products are crap, but if you are looking for one that is you definitely have a variety to choose from. The bottom line is that businesses stand to make a ton of money off of selling you their solution, so many will stop at nothing to do just that.
Remember the old adage, “A fool and his/her money are soon parted”? It’s up to you to ensure that you’re not the fool. Define what your health and fitness goals are first, and then search for the solution that’s right for you, instead of having the next best thing force-fed to you despite your silent objections.
Who hasn’t spent money on something like a gym membership only to realize that the gym you joined isn’t really the right one for you. It’s funny how at this point it’s somehow easier to just keep paying $50 to $150 a month for the opportunity every morning to slap the old snooze and vow that tomorrow will be the day you start working out (been there, done that).
In Episode 002 our guest Suzanne from workoutnirvana.com talked about the importance of finding the gym that’s right for you. Don’t be afraid to fire your gym if it’s just not working out (see what I did there?).
When it comes to fitness, just about the worst thing you can do is to do nothing. Yes, lifting weights or trying a new sport can certainly be intimidating at first, but venturing outside of your comfort zone is the only way to grow.
It all comes down to priorities and understanding whether or not our actions reflect what’s important to us.
Even though each of us may be traveling slightly different paths toward our fitness goals, the reasons that we’re making the journey unite us all. It’s the pursuit of becoming the best versions of ourselves.
In this session, I talk about:
- The 10 Fitness Red Flags
- How Many Reps and Sets Should I Do?
- How to Leave Fitness Plateaus Behind
- Fit Desk Jockey on Facebook
- Fit Desk Jockey on Twitter
The Episode Challenge:
I challenge you to adopt one (additional) action this week that will help you reach your health and fitness goals.
It could be something as small as just taking the time to plan your meals ahead of time for the week to help ensure that you’re less tempted to grab something on the run. Or it could be to resolve to just say “no” to any or all office deserts and/or treats for the entire week, no matter how stressful your day has been.
What’s challenge am I taking on for the next week? Fair enough. What kind of pompous jerk would I be if I didn’t take the medicine I recommend?
For the next week I will be starting each of my non-lifting mornings (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) with fasted cardio. Summer is upon us, so I thought why not take a crack at burning a little extra fat.
Until next time, I wish you fitness, health, nutrition, wealth!
-Matt
Click Here to Download the Transcript (being written – available soon)
