Best Practices, Not Trends

In our conversations, we often talk about best practices. In strength and fitness training, those best practices are straightforward: proper technique and consistency. When these two elements are present, results follow regardless of individual fitness goals. Exercise selection matters, but it plays a secondary role compared to mastering fundamentals. Trends in equipment and training styles may add variety and market appeal, but they do not inherently produce better outcomes.

Nutrition is the other pillar of health and fitness, and it is where agreement breaks down most dramatically. Debate surrounds vegetarian and vegan diets, high-protein intake, carbohydrate restriction, intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, bulking and cutting, carnivore diets, meal timing, supplementation, creatine, and more. It is ethically inappropriate for a fitness professional who is not a licensed or certified nutritionist to provide specific meal plans. Even when credentials are present, experience often warrants skepticism toward rigid or absolutist protocols.

The nutritional approach I find most defensible is a plant-based diet, though not necessarily an animal-free one. This view is informed by academic training, research, and anecdotal evidence. Still, in the absence of definitive long-term, controlled studies, I remain cautious. Unlike training principles, nutrition does not yet allow for the same degree of certainty, and I present it accordingly.

I am wary of fitness and nutrition fads, though I try to remain open to genuine innovation. Social media, fueled by monetization, has created fertile ground for exaggerated claims and outright charlatanism. AI has only amplified this trend. A recent example is the Netflix documentary Untold: The Liver King, which encapsulates everything corrosive about the pursuit of “optimal” health as spectacle. It is worth watching—not as instruction, but as a cautionary tale that speaks to something deeply human.

The guiding principle remains simple: focus on what works, question what doesn’t, and stay committed to long-term progress over short-term hype. Technique, consistency, and thoughtful decision-making, both in training and in life, outlast every trend.

The Best Cardio Routine

What's the best cardio activity to include in a fitness program? This question often arises among fitness professionals and enthusiasts alike. The answer is simple: choose an activity you enjoy and can consistently engage in. Enjoyment increases the likelihood of adhering to your routine. Additionally, gradually increasing the intensity and duration of your workouts is essential to challenge your cardiovascular system over time.

“Cardio” stems from the Greek word “kardía,” meaning heart. Any exercise that involves coordinated physical actions raising your heart rate for an extended period typically qualifies as cardio.

While cardio is vital, it should not replace strength (resistance) training. Each type of exercise offers unique benefits, and both are essential for a balanced fitness routine. Resistance training involves physical activities designed to improve muscular fitness by working a muscle group against external resistance. This can include using body weight, free weights, resistance machines, or household objects. Common exercises include squats, lunges, presses, curls, and rows.

Understanding Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardio workouts elevate your breathing rate, increasing the oxygen in your blood and enhancing heart function. Also known as aerobic exercise, these activities emphasize the movement and utilization of oxygen for energy production.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends engaging in 30 minutes of moderate cardio or 20 minutes of vigorous cardio five days a week. Popular options vary widely, allowing for personal preference and lifestyle considerations. Note that calorie burn depends on factors such as weight, height, age, and fitness level.

Popular Cardio Activities

Walking Walking is a safe, accessible exercise with minimal risk of injury. It requires little to no cost, is low-impact, helps maintain joint flexibility, and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Running Running demands more from the body than walking but shares its low-cost accessibility. If you’re new to exercise, consider a physical exam before starting a running program.

Cycling Cycling provides a low-impact, engaging workout. It strengthens the lower body and improves balance and coordination, especially when done outdoors. Be mindful of safety by using designated bike trails and staying alert to traffic and pedestrians.

Swimming Swimming minimizes wear and tear on the body while offering buoyancy and resistance. Exercising in water reduces the impact of body weight on your joints.

Jumping Rope Jumping rope enhances lower body balance, stability, and bone mineral density. This exercise strengthens calves, glutes, quads, core, shoulders, and arms.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) HIIT combines cardiovascular fitness with short, intense workout sessions. These versatile exercises can be done at home or the gym and are ideal for people short on time. HIIT is effective for burning calories, losing weight, and improving overall fitness.

Zumba Dance Zumba is a dance-based cardio workout set to Latin and world music. It’s perfect for those who find traditional cardio intimidating or dull. Zumba fosters social connections, making exercise more enjoyable for some.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Cardio Program

• Personal Preferences: What exercises do you enjoy and can commit to long-term?

• Fitness Goals: Are you focused on cardiovascular health, endurance, weight loss, or a combination?

• Intensity and Duration: Tailor your workout based on your current fitness level and objectives.

• Accessibility: Consider whether you have the necessary facilities and equipment.

  
  

The Risks of Inactivity

A sedentary lifestyle is associated with increased cardiovascular risks and premature death. Studies link prolonged inactivity, such as excessive television viewing, with obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Research confirms that prolonged sedentary behavior negatively impacts cardiovascular health and overall mortality.

The Benefits of Regular Cardio

The health advantages of consistent cardiovascular exercise are well-documented. Regular cardio reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, falls, osteoporotic fractures, and depression. It enhances physical function, weight management, cognitive performance, and quality of life while reducing mortality rates.

Conclusion

If you haven’t figured it out by now, the best cardio training program is the one you’ll stick to. Find what you enjoy, and make it a consistent part of your fitness journey.

Start With a Vision

Success often leaves clues. One that appears frequently and is worthy of modeling is consistency. For fitness professionals, a considerable amount of attention is devoted to those whose goal is weight loss. Proper diet and nutrition are essential to this end. What's been discovered is that all diets work, if you consistently work them. The following list merely scratches the surface of popular diets on the market:

• Mediterranean • Keto • Carnivore • South Beach • Atkins • Gluten-Free • Plant-Based • Low-Carbohydrate • Low-Fat • Intermittent Fasting

Practitioners have experienced both success and failure with all of the aforementioned. With so many divergent paths to weight loss success, what advice can be given to anyone struggling with this challenge?

Varying dietary methodologies notwithstanding, what is evident in those who've made significant physical transformations, is their decision to change. Simply put, they no longer view themselves through their former internal lens. Their conversations are noticeably rooted in the present. They've replaced 'what was'– not with what will be–but with 'what is.' They see the present, as the moment when right decisions are made. One aspect of personal growth is having the capacity to identify the obstacles that contributed to one's former predicament. The greater challenge is to avoid the premature celebration of the new vision, at the expense of the day-to-day activities that produce it.

I'm seldom if ever accused of being the sharpest knife in the drawer. Yet one bit of wisdom that has served me well, is the recognition that every person I meet is a potential teacher. Anyone whose achievements are publicly recognizable is to be studied. Although their brand or mission statement may not be my particular cup of tea, I recognize that their path to achievement is the result of adherence to certain fundamental principles. Superficial aesthetic or rhetorical differences often distract us from the clues left by successful accomplishments. I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach intelligent, successful people.

Although weight loss has never been my personal challenge, becoming the best version of myself is an ongoing one. Crystal and Dianne, the women pictured in this article, are real life examples of people whose internal vision has transformed their outer shell. What we now celebrate externally is simply the manifestation of their inner thoughts and ability to transform those thoughts into action. They've demonstrated their ability to create a vision, decide on a course of action and achieve the desired results. It would serve me well to extract and apply the principles of their success in any chosen endeavor.