There are many gyms out there that promise to be the solution you’ve been looking for all your life.
What you may or may not realize though is the truth is that what you need depends on YOU. Your needs are unique to your individual life and body.
At OPEX Franklin and our OPEX Gyms all over the world, we live by the mantra, “it depends.” There are no hard and fast rules to great health and fitness. There are so many variables to consider from one individual to the next that blanket statements and dogma just can’t account for.
Let’s see how that plays out below in a few common health questions.
Question: Is fat healthy?
Answer: It depends! While keto diets are all the rage right now, all fats are not created equally. There is a big difference between the quality of fat coming from olive oil, grass-fed meat and avocado when compared to the fat in a fast-food cheeseburger, soybean oil, and conventionally farmed meat. The quality of fat you consume will determine whether your body can use it as healthy fuel, or whether it will create an unhealthy and unwanted inflammatory response. In addition, there are certain times of the day, for example, right before or after a workout, that a high-fat meal may be poorly digested. Some folks do better on a high-fat, low-carb diet, while others thrive with higher-carb, lower fat, relative to their goals, training style, digestion and ability to metabolize. So is fat healthy? You now know that answer: It depends!
Question: Will squats give me well defined glutes?
Answer: It depends! (I know, you saw that one coming;) Squatting can be a great exercise for developing a nice posterior, but whether or not they will build lean muscle will depend on a multitude of factors. Does your lifestyle and nutrition support gaining lean mass? As you may have noticed, some people put on lean mass more easily than others. What is your rate of adaptation when it comes to building lean mass? Are you advanced in your training age or a beginner? Beginners will gain lean mass at a faster rate than advanced trainees. (You may have experienced this yourself with a lot of good results in the beginning of a program, but then plateaued.) What kind of squats are you performing and for what rep scheme? Some styles of squatting and rep ranges are conducive to hypertrophy, (enlarging a muscle), while some are not. You also need to consider whether you can effectively engage your bum to squat, or whether you’re compensating with other muscle groups. So will squats give you well defined glutes? Yep…you guessed it: It depends!
Question: How much sleep do I need?
Answer: It depends! While 8 hours is often held up as the gold standard, sleep requirements differ between individuals. For example, sleep duration needs will decline with age. At 75 years old, an individual may only require 7 hours, but at 25 years old, that same individual may need 9 hours for optimal function. An athlete focused on sports performance may need more Zs than someone who is relatively sedentary. Please keep in mind that there is a very small percentage of the population who have a gene that enables them to function well on 6 hours. (Emphasis on “well”.) So how much sleep do you need? Roughly 7-9 hours, but it depends!
Question: Should I drink a post-workout shake?
Answer: It depends! For most general population clients, especially those interested in fat loss, a post-workout shake isn’t necessary. However, sometimes convenience is a priority and a shake may be a better option that no food or a fast-food meal. (This is where we will create a good, better, best scenario specific to YOUR life when working with one of our coaches.) A post-workout shake may be appropriate if your protein and carbohydrate requirements are higher than you can get from whole foods. This is more likely to be the case for athletes who may be training multiple sessions and need quick-to-digest fuel. Just know that all protein powders aren’t created equal, so the quality of the shake also determines whether you should include one into your day or not. So should you drink a post-workout shake? It depends!
As you can see from these examples, there is so much grey area in health and fitness. We know you are coming to us looking for answers, but the unpopular reality is “it depends”. Until we know you, your goals, your quirks and your lifestyle, there are very few black and white truths.
That’s where an OPEX Franklin Coach comes in. We can assess and consult with you to understand your starting point. With this data, we can start to answer your questions. Our OPEX Coaches don’t buy into fitness dogma. They view every question within the context of the individual asking it.
Ready to talk to a professional coach that can help you on your personal journey to find out these answers and many more? Schedule a FREE CONSULT today! We are waiting to hear from you:)
