The Downfall of Social Media, Why More Exercise Isn't The Answer, A Look At Waist Trainers, & More
Article Round-Up: 11.20.22
Enjoy this week’s curated list of articles, podcasts, and more from the web.
Featured Thoughts:
Takeaway: This was a great exploration of why trendy areas lose their charm, tied beautifully to today’s challenges with social media. We’ve all known for a little while now the challenges and downsides of social media. But aren’t we also part of the driving force of those issues?
Have you noticed that new, trendy areas always have a rich population of artists and creators? This is a time full of authenticity and character. The artists and creators give the area its charm.
And then people begin to notice.
People with more money to spend.
The trendy area gains popularity as a destination. That’s when investors take notice. Gentrification and assembly-line developments start to pour in, effectively forcing the artists and creators out of the very neighborhoods they created.
You see this happening all over the U.S. at astounding rates. Even in my hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
For a long time there was a local ordinance that buildings could not be built taller than the clock tower that sits at the University of Michigan downtown. Then about twenty years ago they eliminated this law.
Luxury “high-rises” have been pouring in ever since. (I put quotations because even our tallest buildings rarely surpass ten floors.)
When I first started A-Team Fitness in 2014, my two-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of town (that I shared with a roommate) cost us a total of $799. Today, that same apartment costs almost double. ($1,469) My more centrally-located apartment near the stadium, that I moved out of last year, jumped in price from $1,600/month to nearly $2,300/month shortly after we left.
When the money pours in, the charm begins to fade. The trendy, charming local spots begin to struggle. Many local eateries begin their uphill battle against rising rents, while corporate chains with deep pockets begin to flood the area.
This isn’t meant to be a soapbox moment. As author Cole Schafer shares in his article above, the town might be overrun with an influx of dull, soul-stealing capital, but with that comes good ice cream. And I enjoy the ice cream.
We’d like the charm to stay, but we enjoy the luxuries that come from the development of an area.
This is social media right now. What started as artists and creators is now being ruined by money. And yet we stick around, because some of us still enjoy what they offer. And that means the money sticks around.
Maybe we’re destined to continue jumping from platform to platform as new, trendy apps pop-up. And if that’s true, are we the artists or the “folks with money” destined to ruin it?
“Why More Exercise Doesn’t Always Equal More Calories Burned”
Takeaway: This was an in-depth look at the nuance of physical activity. At the most basic level, it’d make sense to think that performing greater amounts of physical activity results in greater energy burned. Duh, right? However, there’s more to it than that. Our bodies are a complex interworking of mechanisms that shift with respect to one another. Sometimes, more exercise means greater effort for no greater amount of benefit. Read more to see why.
“One Simple Change To Boost Motivation”
Takeaway: For added motivation, should you focus on how far you’ve come since you started, or how far you have left before you reach the finish line? We explore this answer in this article that is sure to help you better understand how to stay inspired toward your goals—no matter where you’re at in achieving them.
“Waist Trainers: What Happens When You Uncinch?”
Takeaway: This article from Harvard Health takes a look at the effectiveness of waist trainers for spot reducing fat in the abdomen. Spoiler: They may not work the way you think (and hope) they do. Instead, the best way to shrink your midsection is to put yourself into a calorie deficit and focus on core strengthening exercises to tighten your abdominal muscles.