How many different diets and fitness programs have you tried? Our generation, Generation X, is a great one for giving things a shot. We tend to believe our own experiences over the advice and opinions of experts. Not that we dismiss what a doctor, nutritionist, or personal trainer have to say. We are generally eager to learn. However, we’re also a bit skeptical and “believe it when we see it.” I think this skepticism has led our generation to be one that tries different approaches, tends to keep an open mind, and embraces what works.
What We’ve Learned About Diet and Nutrition
In general, and we do have to speak in generalities here because we’re an extremely diverse generation, we’ve learned that diet and nutrition go hand in hand. We know that you can’t just go exercise off that cheesecake and tequila that you had for dinner last night. Those types of calories are different than other calories and calories are not created equally.
We know that sugar makes us fat and causes diabetes. We also know that diet and exercise can go a very long way to not only keeping us in our favorite jeans but that it’s important to stave off disease and live a long and healthy life. We know these things because we’ve not only paid attention to the research and studies, we’ve listened to our doctor, and we’ve paid attention to our own health and the health of those around us.
Knowledge and Experience
All of this knowledge and experience, along with a willingness and ability to innovate, has resulted in booming health and fitness trends started by none other than baby boomers. Studies have shown that:
We’re willing to pay more for healthier foods. (Keep in mind that the companies that perform the best are not only delicious and nutrition’s but also convenient. Remember our discussion in the previous post).
Nielsen’s 2015 Global Health & Wellness Survey, which polled over 30,000 individuals online, also found that we’re willing to pay more for foods that are GMO free, are free from artificial colors and flavors, and provide measurable health benefits.
Think about the growing popularity of Greek Yogurt. It’s not only tasty. It’s high in protein, it has probiotics, and low in sugar. Multiple benefits in one easy to consume product. These foods that combine a benefit of reducing disease and promoting good health are called functional foods and generation X is quite fond of them.
The bottom line is that we want the best of both worlds and we believe we can have it. We, Generation X members, believe that we should be able to enjoy food and have it be good for us. And that the very same food we’re enjoying should also be easy to prepare. It’s opened up a whole new market and business model and it’s changing the way our generation lives and eats. It’s no longer just about exercise, it’s also about diet and nutrition.
Take a look at your current eating and nutrition habits. What do you want to change? What resources might support you to make those changes. Identifying your needs, goals, and resources is the first step to making it happen. Next time we’ll talk about how and why Generation Xers are creating their own fitness movements.
