Technology
Social Media May Sway Kids to Eat More Junk
Any child active on social media is likely following one or more so-called influencers, and if those influencers are fans of chips and cookies, parents trying to persuade their kids to eat more veggies could be facing another hurdle.
Smartphones Could Aid Weight Loss
Most often we’re told to spend less time on our smartphones, but researchers from Duke University have given us evidence that a food-tracking mobile app can be an effective tool for those who want to shed pounds without committing to a more time-consuming intensive diet program.
Location Affects Fitness Activity Choice
While group fitness is most popular in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and New York City, using weights or resistance machines is most widespread in San Diego, Chicago, and the Cleveland, Akron and Canton areas of Ohio.
Virtual-based training—either streamed live or recorded in advance—is growing in popularity. The most prevalent home-based activities include body-weight exercise, Pilates, stretching, tai chi and yoga.
Wearables Market Trends
Growth drivers for wearables in 2019 include more applications for hearable devices and stronger tracker integration into the healthcare market. In 2018, wearable shipments rose 27.5% overall, with 172.2 million products shipped. Greater sales of ear-worn wearables and a 54.3% increase in smartwatches are the main contributors for growth, according to data by International Data Corporation. In the United States, the number of smartwatches sold in 2019 is predicted to grow by 25% over last year, per the Consumer Technology Association.
Tracker Information Motivates
With the abundance of activity trackers on the market, deciding which product to choose can be overwhelming. New research suggests that the most important criterion may simply be how easy it is to access the data the device provides. Recent research conducted at the Atlantic Sports Health Research Department of Atlantic Health System in Morris?¡town, New Jersey, shows that people who wore a device and accessed data via an app were more active daily when compared with those who did not access the activity information.
Health Coaching: Starting Your Business
Are you excited about helping people to transform their lives through health coaching? You’ve educated yourself, earned certifications, gained practical experience and are ready to start your business. What’s next?
How—And Why—To Optimize Your Website for Voice Searches
Alexa, where is a hot yoga class near me?
Siri, how many reps should I do when I’m strength training?
If your potential clients haven’t uttered one of those phrases yet, they soon will—as voice search becomes the way of the future.
Three Steps to Building a “Hybrid” Fitness Business
It’s no secret that online coaching has caught fire in recent years. Many personal trainers have exploded their businesses by offering online services that allow them to reach more clients and build their brands faster than ever before.
While an online business sounds great, running one doesn’t come without its hurdles. Some examples:
Media Multitasking: Another Link to Obesity?
Do any of your clients struggle with weight gain? If so, let them know about new research that has found that media multitasking has now been linked to obesity.
Research from Rice University indicates that mindless switching between digital devices is associated with increased susceptibility to food temptations and lack of self-control, which may result in weight gain (Lopez, Heatherton & Wagner 2019).
The Mobile Health Map: Exploring Telehealth
Telehealth is a huge win for nutrition experts and other wellness professionals. Embracing this ecosystem of wireless devices, digital platforms and mobile apps can give you a competitive edge with clients, who increasingly receive care via telehealth tools.
Generating Leads With LinkedIn
Every business owner knows that consumers are spending more time on social media than ever before. If you want to reach prospective clients, you must have a social media presence. Be where your prospects are.
The Rise of Virtual Classes
Exercising in front of a television, computer screen or mobile device is nothing new. Since the advent of VHS tapes, fitness programs have offered users an opportunity to get their sweat on whenever they choose in the comfort of their home. Over the past several years, however, fitness facilities have leveraged new technology to offer virtual classes on-site in hopes of luring exercisers out of their living rooms and into the group exercise room.
SMR Trends: Adopting Vibration Technology
The body of evidence in favor of self-myofascial release (SMR) techniques has been steadily growing. Research has shown that SMR can increase joint mobility and range of motion and reduce muscle soreness. It is used by personal trainers, athletic trainers and physical therapists alike to prevent and treat injuries in clients.
Fitness Equipment for a Better Club or Studio
Whether you’re the owner of a large gym, a small-studio entrepreneur, a mobile personal trainer, or a yoga or Pilates specialist, a basic tenet of keeping your edge sharp with clients is to shake things up frequently enough that they (and you!) don’t get bored. Certainly, that means changing your programming regularly, but it also means looking at your equipment with fresh eyes and considering some new tools for experimentation—all while being judicious about your budget.
The Instructor-or-Influencer Challenge: Social Media and Fitness Instructors
Exceptional group fitness instructors are influential. But is their influence an outcome of great instruction or its origin? When group fitness pros apply for a job, practical teaching skills and knowledge of exercise and movement top the list of “must-haves,” so what about social media influence? Is it relevant? It’s becoming more commonplace to judge group fitness candidates on their social media presence, but should this be the case?
Question Of The Month
Like the milkman used to do, more and more retailers will deliver groceries to your doorstep. According to data analytics company Nielsen, 70% of American consumers will do some of their grocery shopping online in the next 5–7 years. How is this shift in food-purchasing behavior going to influence eating habits?
Hashtag-Worthy Foods
In the age of Instagrammable food shots and food “influencers,” people increasingly turn to social media for advice on what to eat. And it turns out we still can’t get enough of avocado toast and that South American grain. A social media analysis from the food and nutritional consultancy New Nutrition Business showed that—in a list of 20 items marketed as healthy—avocado, almonds, blueberries, quinoa and kale garnered the most social media activity between 2017 and 2018.
Body Image And Social Media
A recent study provides more evidence that body image suffers when young women view photos of attractive peers on social media.
Build a Better Club or Studio
Whether you’re the owner of a large gym, a small-studio entrepreneur, a mobile personal trainer, or a yoga or Pilates specialist, a basic tenet of keeping your edge sharp with clients is to shake things up frequently enough that they (and you!) don’t get bored. Certainly, that means changing your programming regularly, but it also means looking at your equipment with fresh eyes and considering some new tools for experimentation—all while being judicious about your budget.
Question of the Month
What is the leading trend in your fitness facility? Are wearables, group fitness and HIIT programs the leading fitness activities among your clients?
Share the top fitness activities in your facility and why you think they are successful.
We want to hear from you! Email executive editor Joy Keller, jkeller@ideafit.com.