We all know fitness is an important factor in our lives. We strive to eat nutritious (most of the time) and move our bodies on a daily basis, but how does technology influence this healthy industry? From weight loss apps to activity trackers innovation within the fitness communite has come a long way in a short amount of time.
Our panel of fitness experts at the State of Innovation today consisted of the following: Julian Edelman, wide receiver for the New England Patriots, Jordan Fliegel, CEO of CoachUp, George Foreman III, Founder of The Club by George Foreman III. The session was moderated by Eric Berkson MD, Director of Mass General Sports Performance Center.
And according to the pros, fitness should be about not losing sight of the tactile trainers, connecting with a community and allowing data tracking to be supplemental to your health and fitness routine.
Foreman was very adamant about building healthy communities in order to achieve your wellness goals. "Being a part of a community is just as effective as eating right and working out. Make an impact by building a community, building a culture," Foreman stated. "“How can we build communities based on things other than dancing and drinking?”
A very valuable question seeing our current society does weigh heavily on beers and booze to have fun.
Fliegel stated that "Boston is an innovative city of health and wellness technology." With shout outs to Boston-based companies Lose It and Run Keeper, it is clear that our Hub is a destination for startups with a health-focus.
To wrap up the panel, Berkson ended with the topic of trends in fitness; what are impactful and what will stick around for the next 10, 15, 20 years?
Edelman believes that data storing and overall technology will last. "When they really hone it down, that is the next thing," he stated. So whether it is your FitBit or a newer generation of tracking, data is important. And as one of the professional athletes in the room it was clear that these type of statistics help the pros become better at their craft.
According to Fliegel, an impactful trend must involve communities and empowering movements. He gave a quick shout out to the grassroots group the November Project. This Boston-based group shows that individuals coming together can motivates each other to be healthy. And as Fliegel believes, we need more of these.
Lastly, Foreman believes that it is all about people having fun in their fitness surroundings. "Gym environments have changed," he stated, "Any way we can get people to have fun to keep thier waistline trim, that's it."
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