SPORTS & 

FITNESS 

& LIVING

14

 Mountain Views NewsSaturday, March 15, 2025

CREATING A FITNESS TREND

Fitness trends come and go, but some stick around 
longer than others. The truth is, falling for a worthless 
fitness fad isn’t that hard. With the right mix of 
creativity and marketing, you can make people believe 
in something new—even if it’s not really effective. 
Here’s the formula:

1. Make It Sound Legitimate

To start, make your new rage sound believable. Pick 
a catchy name like “PowerFlex” or “MetaCore” and 
use words that sound scientific, like “activation” or 
“intensity.” These terms make it seem important, even 
if there’s no real science behind it. The key is to create 
something that sounds complicated but vague enough 
for people not to question it.

2. Create A Backstory

A good backstory makes anything sound more 
intriguing. You could say your movement comes from 
an ancient technique or was discovered by a famous 
scientist. Adding a backstory makes it seem exclusive, 
and people love the idea of being part of something 
new or secret. If you tie it to famous athletes or celebrities, even better—this increases the 
notion’s credibility.

3. Keep The Movements Simple

Fitness gimmicks don’t need to be complicated. Think of things like “zumba” or “planking.” 
These are simple exercises that anyone can do. If your concept is easy and quick, people will 
be more likely to try it. You could create something like “QuickBurn” or “FlexCycle,” exercises 
that don’t require any skill but are fun to try.

4. Promise Quick Results

People love promises of quick results. If you tell them they can lose weight fast or gain strength 
in a short time, they’ll be intrigued. For example, claiming people can lose 10 pounds in a 
week or increase flexibility by 100% in days might sound unrealistic, but it will catch attention. 
The more unrealistic the promise, the more likely people are to believe in it.

5. Use Social Media And Influencers

To create buzz about your idea, use social media. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and 
YouTube are perfect for spreading a new idea. Influencers can post videos showing how 
easy and fun your trend is, getting their followers excited to try it. People trust their favorite 
influencers, so if they say something works, many will believe it.

6. Create A Special Product

Fitness gimmicks often come with some kind of unique equipment. Think of a special mat, 
weights, or a new piece of fitness gear. If you make a product that seems essential for the idea, 
people will want to buy it. Market it as something “clinically proven” to work better than 
anything else. Even if it isn’t, the more special it looks, the more people will want to get it.

7. Use Urgency

Urgency can help make a new obsession take off. Saying things like “limited time only” or 
“only 100 spots available” creates a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out). This pushes people to 
act fast, even if they don’t fully understand the hype. People don’t want to miss out, so they’ll 
hurry to try it.

8. Encourage Sharing

When people try something new, they want to share it. Encourage them to post videos or 
pictures on social media using an easy to remember hashtag. This will get others interested 
and give your latest rage momentum. Social proof—seeing others join in—makes people feel 
more comfortable trying something new.

While you probably won’t be out there crafting the next viral fitness craze, understanding 
how trends are built gives you a powerful tool—one that helps you see through the BS. The 
next time a new workout, gadget, or miracle program hits the scene, step back and run it 
through this formula. Is it selling a shortcut? Does it rely on an influencer’s word more than 
real science? Is there a flashy gimmick at its core? By recognizing the elements that make 
fitness trends so appealing, you can separate the ones that truly work from those designed to 
cash in on your hopes. Stay informed, ask questions, and don’t get taken by the next big thing 
that promises everything but delivers little.

Fitness takes effort and consistency, and while new trends can be fun to try, real results come 
from proven methods that prioritize your long-term health and well-being. Always look 
beyond the hype before committing. If it sounds too good to be true, well, you know the rest 
of the saying.


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit.
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness.

UNLOCK YOUR LIFE

Tips From Lori A. Harris


STAYING IN YOUR LANE: A PATH TO LIVING 
YOUR DREAMS

In our journey toward personal growth, I've found that 
one of the most powerful strategies for transforming 
dreams into reality is surprisingly simple: stay in your 
lane.

The Science Behind the "Three C's"

Research from the Harvard Business Review shows that 
eliminating what I call the "Three C's" - Complaining, 
Comparing, and Criticizing/Gossiping - can significantly 
improve productivity and well-being. Dr. Shawn Achor's 
research, published in his book "The Happiness Advantage," 
demonstrates that positive psychology practices, 
including reducing unfavorable social comparisons, can increase productivity by up to 31%.

When you see your neighbor confidently wearing her trendy outfit, simply appreciate without 
judgment. When scrolling through social media and noticing grammatical errors that might 
usually trigger you, just let it go. When your colleague's fashion choices don't align with the latest 
trends, again, let it go.

A 2023 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology states that social comparison is 
linked to increased anxiety, decreased self-esteem, and reduced life satisfaction. As psychologist 
Dr. Brené Brown notes, "Comparison is the thief of joy and the enemy of innovation."

The flip side is equally important: never let someone else's excellence discourage you from trying. 
Carol Dweck's groundbreaking work on growth mindset reminds us that talent is developed 
through dedication and hard work—you rarely see the countless hours of practice behind others' 
success.

Action Steps for This Week:

Awareness Audit: For the next three days, keep a small notebook handy and mark each time you 
catch yourself engaging in the Three C's. Note the triggers.

Redirection Practice: When you notice yourself slipping into comparison or criticism, consciously 
redirect your energy toward your own goals. Ask yourself: "How does this serve my 
journey?"

Gratitude Pivot: Replace criticism with one observation of gratitude about your own progress, 
no matter how small.

Morning Intention: Begin each day by writing down one specific action that moves you closer 
to your dream.

By releasing the energy spent on the Three C's, you free up tremendous mental and emotional 
resources to focus on your journey and goals.

Special Invitation: 

I'm excited to announce my upcoming workshop, "The Visionary Salon," on March 29, 2025, to 
explore these evidence-based techniques in depth. To learn more details or reserve your spot, 
please email me at lori@loriaharris.com or call 323-371-3330. Early registration ends March 
15th.

Looking forward to helping you unlock your full potential!

Lori A. Harris is an award-winning coach & host of the Unlock Your Life Podcast with Lori Harris.

ALL THINGS 

By Jeff Brown 


WASTE WARS:

 THE WILD AFTERLIFE OF YOUR TRASH 

by Alexander Clapp 

A globe-trotting work of relentless investigative reporting, 
this is the first major book to expose the catastrophic 
reality of the multi-billion-dollar global garbage trade.

 

Dumps and landfills around the world are overflowing. 
Disputes about what to do with the millions of tons of 
garbage generated every day have given rise to waste wars 
waged almost everywhere you look. Some are border 
skirmishes. Others hustle trash across thousands of miles 
and multiple oceans. But no matter the scale, one thing is 
true about almost all of them: few people have any idea 
they're happening.

Journalist Alexander Clapp spent two years roaming five continents to report deep inside the 
world of Javanese recycling gangsters, cruise ship dismantlers in the Aegean, Tanzanian plastic 
pickers, whistle-blowing environmentalists throughout the jungles of Guatemala, and a community 
of Ghanaian boys who burn Western cellphones and televisions for cents an hour, to 
tell readers what he has figured out: While some trash gets tossed onto roadsides or buried 
underground, much of it actually lives a secret hot potato second life, getting shipped, sold, 
re-sold, or smuggled from one country to another, often with devastating consequences for the 
poorest nations of the world. 

Waste Wars is a jaw-dropping exposé of how and why, for the last forty years, our garbage — 
the stuff we deem so worthless we think nothing of throwing it away — has spawned a massive, 
globe-spanning, multi-billion-dollar economy, one that offloads our consumption footprints 
onto distant continents, pristine landscapes, and unsuspecting populations. If the handling of 
our trash reveals deeper truths about our Western society, what does the globalized business of 
garbage say about our world today? And what does it say about us?

You can order the book at Sierra Madre’s new bookstore Fables & Fancies 626-6658856


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