Lessons Learned from FILEX Fitness convention

Well the annual FILEX conference has been and gone and much was learned!  Professionally I had a lot of questions I wanted answered.  Personally I discovered a few truths that were unexpected.  Here's a summary of the top 10 things:

#1: the fitness industry runs on a lot of myths - what to eat, how to train, the importance of rest - unfortunately the truth is not that sexy, there is no magic, it comes down to a few basic facts - if you want to lose weight, eat less, exercise more.  There are a few exceptions to basic common sense eat less move more - but basically that's it.

#2:  there are some very strong characters in the fitness industry.  Some of them are celebrities.  And their approach is not always helpful - it perpetuates the myths

#3:  the difference between self confessed couch potatoes that are lean, and self confessed couch potatoes that are obese is 2 1/2 hours of movement EVERY day

#4:  High intensity training only needs to be carried out 3 times a week for maximum benefit

#5:  I now have the formula for calculating after burn (the calories you burn once the workout is over, above what you normally would, just because you did a taining session)

#6:  the body does not care what combinations of food you eat - for example adding lemon does not break down fats better, the body quite simply takes the nutrients from the food and uses them

#7: when seniors move in time to music their brains work better, then and afterwards

#8:  the fitness industry really has to promote weight maintenance - not just weight loss - and I see that in the people that attend my gym - their weight and body composition really doesnt change much  "consistent physical activity is the BEST predictor of sustained weight management after weight loss"

#9:  lie down and lift one leg slightly - the order of muscle recruitment should be glutes, hamstrings, quadratus lumborum - however that is often not the case

#10:  got grotty knees - the problem is often a lack of gluteal recruitment

I could go on and on - but that'll do - I learned heaps and I'd like to go back next year and learn more!