In the past few years CrossFit has been capturing the eyes of many individuals from around the world. With their affiliate gyms popping up everywhere, it seems that CrossFit is carving out its own unique niche within the fitness industry. If you were to log on to any social media site, there are many CrossFit fan pages, videos, and advertisements on where you can do this type of physical training. The question to be asked: Is CrossFit for everyone? And with popularity and large masses of people doing it, what are the pros and cons?

The CrossFit corporation is not a franchise, but you can buy into their affiliate program, which costs $3000 and you must take and pass their Level 1 Certificate Course, which cost $1000. Once you take and pass this course, you are now eligible to apply to be an affiliate of CrossFit.

This is where some of the bad publicity comes into play with CrossFit, and it has been getting a lot of press in the health and fitness industry. Are the individuals who are becoming business owners of affiliate CrossFit gyms experienced enough to run such a facility, and do they have enough training experience? We know that CrossFit is an excellent system if the right trainers are in place to teach these methods. If the wrong instructors/trainers are not qualified and the only training they have taken is the Level 1 Certification Course, then this is not a good sign. This is when CrossFit needs to focus their attention on due diligence and really qualify individuals before granting a CrossFit affiliate license. If the qualifications are stricter, it will create more credibility within the health and fitness industry.
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The year in fitness and dieting 2011 was far from uneventful. The introduction of MyPlate, larger conversations about nutrition in school food, and the condemnation of too-thin celebrities kept things interesting and proved that we don’t see diet, nutrition and fitness as just fads, they’re a part of our lifestyles. From our vantage point, there were a few things that will make 2011 memorable and keep the fit-focused conversations moving in 2012.

We’ve identified seven trends that really came in to their own in 2011, and will no doubt carry weight in the new year.

1. Gluten-Free Diet. Throw diet on the end and it sounds like anyone with a few pounds to lose could be benefited by this eating regimen. However, the gluten-free diet is not one-size-fits-all; it’s a necessity for the three million people living with celiac disease, according to University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, or gluten intolerances. This autoimmune disorder affects the digestive process, which is disrupted when they consume gluten, the protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley. In the past year, the availability of gluten-free labeling and gluten-free products has made it easier than ever for those who actually need to follow a GF diet to do so.

2. HIIT. This High Intensity Interval Training was all the rage this year, whether people realized they were doing it or not. Programs like P90X, Insanity, Jillian Michaels, and the new PINK Method rely on this style of training, which uses quick bursts of intense exercise followed by brief periods of recovery, in a constant series. HIIT is one trend that actually has staying power, and Liz Neporent, author of 12 fitness titles including The Winner’s Brain, explains why. “HITTS is attractive because you can get a great workout in less time. Instead of  dedicating a full hour to cardio and then an additional 20-30 minutes to weights – you can often pack in an awesome workout and burn tons of calories in as little as 20 minutes.” She explains more about HIITs in this episode of Health Buzz.

3. Juicing and Raw Diets. Our pressed-for-time society found a way to eat right without too much prep time. It’s called the raw diet, and can stand alone or be followed in conjunction with the juice diet. Whether for weight loss, to reverse disease, or to be conscientious about the earth, the raw diet boasts a lot of nutritional benefits for its dedicated followers. “Raw vegan is moving so quickly, even more so than vegetarian did years ago,” says Mimi Kirk, author of Live Raw, about the trend. “Raw restaurants are popping up, the media is covering this subject, and so many wonderful documentaries are in the theaters [i.e. "Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead"] educating people about the food we consume.” We agree with Mimi’s forecast that we’ll continue to hear a lot more about the raw food movement in 2012. “It’s quite exciting to be part of a conscious group of people who are helping to change themselves and the world for the betterment of all,” added Mimi.
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Bruce Young is Co-owner of CrossFit Select in Mississauga, Ontario. He is active in CrossFit Competitions and also competes in 24 hour Adventure Races.

The media has already been bought for the television ads and the radio spots. The actual spots themselves have been ready to go for some time now. And as of January 1, 2012, the annual multi-million dollar media blitz tempting you to “make this your year” or “have dramatic changes, quickly” have already been created for the traditional fitness and weight loss industry.

There is one growing group of companies that is emerging that do not pay for media blitz, yet their numbers keep growing at a steady rate. Most of the growth has come through word of mouth from the members who have committed to make the change. CrossFit has emerged as the most effective way to develop your fitness level, whether your goal is to get in shape or become a world class athlete.

By now most of you have heard something about CrossFit. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that creates muscle confusion for your body. Prior to walking into my first “box” I was bored with doing the same things over and over and just feeling like a number at the large national chain gym that I was going to.

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Jack Osbourne is no stranger to the spotlight. He is the son of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and is now in the news for a different reason. Jack lost weight a few years back, which garnered him a lot of attention, but now he is enduring a new fitness routine that involves some extreme training. His new fitness routine is said to be the same type of training that U.S. Navy SEALS use.

Jack has gotten a personal trainer and is working out at Crossfit gym in Hollywood. Jack lost 50 pounds back in 2005 while he was preparing for his extreme show titled Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie. He has been focused on maintaining his weight loss and staying in shape since then.

The rigorous exercise routine that Jack is going through now includes elements from sports like gymnastics, endurance running, weight lifting and cardio work. There has also been recent news that after serving four years as a reserve police officer, Jack Osbourne would like to become a full time officer, and getting into shape and working out regularly to prepare for the police academy can only help.

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So, you say winter got you down and you kind of slacked off on your fitness routine? Well, spring is here. It’s time to reinvigorate your drive to get fit, so why not try something new?

Getting off to a fresh start with an exercise activity that you may have never tried is a great way have fun and be excited about getting back into the game.

Here are four fitness activities that can make exercise more about fun than being an obligation.

1. Spinning Class - If you already do cardio, there’s a good chance that it can be a bit of bore. Maybe you use the treadmill and stare at the back of someone else’s head for a half hour. If you’re going to get your cardio in a gym, why not kick things up a notch and try a spinning class?
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