Sunday Thoughts (2021’s hot health trends)

There are many words people might use to describe me. “Trendy” is probably not one of them. 

But I do keep up on the latest, especially when it comes to health. And I’ve constantly got my head in a book, the web, magazines, journals, and anyplace else that I can learn something. 

Especially things that might be worth sharing. 

It’s no surprise that last month, with the start of the new year, there were a ton of articles trying to pinpoint what the health and wellness trends would be for 2021. 

If I had to put these forecasts into buckets, they’d probably look like this:

1. Online workouts
2. Wearable technology
3. Mindfulness
4. Recovery
5. And hiking

Today I thought I’d give you a few of my thoughts on each. Maybe there’s something new here for you to focus on this year?

First, this pandemic has really accelerated a trend towards working out at home, and workout classes and content that’s streamed online. 

If you’ve got the means, there are some really fancy ways to do this. Live biking classes you participate in without leaving your house. Or even a “mirror” that looks like your very own personal trainer is standing next to you.

But you don’t need to spend a dime to enjoy a great workout in your house. There are literally thousands of online tutorials, classes and other workouts that are all over YouTube. And they’re free. 

Whether it’s aerobics, weight work, body weight exercises or guided relaxation, you can surely find a virtual workout “partner” that’s right for you.

Fitness “tech” is something I have a love/hate relationship with. I love data, and I love knowing how well I’m doing. So this new ring I’m wearing that tracks my activity, sleep and vital signs is, I’m not going to lie… pretty cool.

I try not to be a slave to it though. I have to listen to my body and do what feels right, not what a computer tells me I should be doing. 

Still, it’s very useful. And keeping track doesn’t have to mean fancy here either. Tracking your activity and sleep can be as simple as a notebook and a pencil. 

If you commit to staying active, you’re more apt to stick with it if you write down what you did each day. Having to write down that you skipped your nightly walk doesn’t feel good. But putting together a streak and seeing it in black & white… that’s great motivation. 

Now I don’t meditate, though I understand the benefits of it. Being quiet, alone with your thoughts, focusing on your breathing, if only for a minute – the benefits to your health and psyche are enormous. 

So I do recommend trying to spend at least 5 minutes a day focusing on just being, and breathing, and nothing else. It’s a simple way to de-stress and get grounded. 

Now the next trend, understanding how to recover, is one that a lot of people can probably embrace. Giving yourself permission to take the day off, anyone can get behind that. But recovery trends will probably mean more than just a “rest day.” It can mean massage, or a hot bath, or any number of things. 

I’m working on a few things in this area that I’ll be telling you about soon. (One of them is sooooo relaxing, you’re going to love it, not gonna lie.)

Finally, it’s funny to see something as old school as hiking come up as a “trend.” But it makes sense. It’s great exercise, it gets you outside, it’s easy to do it at a distance from others, and it helps build that connection to nature that is so very healthy. 

I think today I’m going to be trendy, and Karen and I are going to hit the trails near our home. 

And then I’ll count up the steps I took, thanks to my “wearable tech.” 

Hopefully, it’s just a few more steps than last weekend.