It may be Wednesday, but I’m craving a roast. This is, as 2023 wound down, there was a predictable glut of articles wrapping up the year and looking ahead to 2024. One of which happened to involve speculating upon “fitness trends”, and yours truly has thoughts. Let’s take a look at what’s supposedly going to trend in the fitness world during 2024…
Fitness trends for the year ahead
When I lived in London, I well and truly loved Stylist magazine, and then-sister publication, Emerald Street. These days I find it much more hit and miss, and this article is a clear example of the latter. I hate that I’m part of an industry which has historically traded upon making people feel bad about themselves, and unfounded claims, but that stuff sadly sells, so it shall persist for a while yet.
And that’s why I like to loudly debunk the bullshit – I hate seeing people waste time and money.
Stylist has boldly claimed that these six things will be big hits in 2024:
· DIY hormonal health
· Low key longevity
· Cellular healing
· Pill fatigue
· At home recovery
· Transformation retreats
Will these trends take off?
Some of them don’t even make sense at first look. The idea of “low key longevity” in Stylist’s eyes is a dreaded term – biohacking. And the “cellular healing” concept is… “a form of biohacking”. Which just shows me that they’re actually a little short of ideas. I’m going to be very clear here: the vast majority of DIY home testing kits are absolutely not worth your time and money. Those purporting to check your gut mibrobiome don’t do what they say they do (the science is coming, but it’s not actually there yet, plus these tests typically require a poo sample, and I shouldn’t have to tell you that poo is waste product and therefore not indicative of what’s in your gut). Those claiming to give you a “hormone level” are just factually inaccurate (hormone levels do not, in fact, exist. The whole point of hormones is that they vary both across and within the population).
The publication’s concept of “pill fatigue” seems more realistic. It’s the idea that we’re over taking lots of supplements. I’d actually say that the general public isn’t there yet – many seem to regard supplements as a quick and easy fix for a number of issues. And they’d be wrong. Supplements don’t tend to be the best way of receiving nutrients, unless you’ve gone through a full medical investigation and been advised that it is best for you. So pill fatigue ought to be real.
Stylist references “at home recovery” and seems to focus on things such as red light masks and massage guns. Both of which have already been very popular. I doubt the efficacy of either of these tools. Red light masks may well look cool, but there are many cheap versions out there which might not do the job fully, and which also may not be fully tested in terms of safety. I think the same is true of massage guns – they may not be of the required quality, and a machine in inexperienced hands is not as effective as a human professional with knowledge and experience.
I also think it’s a bit of a stretch to refer to a list as being about fitness when maybe 50% of one item actually focuses on physical activity. Transformation retreats are the item on the list that I think is likeliest to take off. They’re again already popular as a “wellness break” in the form of things like yoga holidays and mindset makeovers. I would still suggest you proceed with caution…
Do your research
As with anything, there are some golden rules. Before making a purchase, check what you’re getting yourself into, and whether it might be for you. Read reviews. Speak to someone who’s used the product if possible. When looking at social media posts, check for clarity regarding whether or not they’re paid promotion or involve sponsorship. Be clear on what the returns policy is when you’re purchasing an item rather than a service.
Most importantly – does what you’re looking at buying fit with your own longer term goals? Or is it just something that you’ve seen and thinks looks cool?
Time is something you can’t get back, and money can be hard to get back. Before you commit to purchasing, make sure that what you’re buying will help you or bring you joy, rather than assist you onto a bandwagon.