Fit, Focused & Waste-Free: A Lean Look at Your Wellness Routine

Hello again, Waste Hunters! We're steadily making our way through everyday scenarios, spotting waste and boosting flow in all areas of life. Today, let's slip into something comfortable and put our Waste Glasses on to examine the world of health and fitness—because even here, waste loves to hide. Applying Lean thinking to health and fitness might seem unconventional—even revolutionary—but this fresh perspective is exactly what's needed to flex your Lean muscles in a completely new, exciting way.

Before we dive in, let’s reinforce our core Lean points clearly:

Is it worth the hunt? Always run a quick check: Do you feel your health routines or workouts could be more efficient or enjoyable?

Not every identified waste needs immediate fixing! Spotting waste clearly allows you to consciously choose what's worth addressing right now.

Think small, frequent improvements: Frequent, bite-sized adjustments are more impactful and less overwhelming than drastic overhauls.

Seeing Health & Fitness Through Lean Lenses

As a Lean expert passionate about wellness, I've encountered my fair share of "aha!" moments. And let me confess—my awareness has become a bit extreme through continuous Lean evolution, even by my own admission! I embrace this as progress, recognising wastes others might overlook as insignificant or excessive.

Take 'Motion' waste, for instance. Initially, I spotted obvious wastes, like unnecessary gym trips. But now, I see motion in subtle ways—like when you spend a lot of time and energy moving your body in ways that don't align with your fitness goals, such as performing unnecessary or inefficient movements during exercises. Extreme? Maybe. Insightful? Absolutely.

Then, there's 'Inventory' waste. My collection of fitness tracking devices and supplements once seemed beneficial. Now, I see how each added complexity could clutter my decision-making. Regularly reassessing their true value through quick checks and small "quarantine zones" helps me maintain only what's genuinely beneficial.

And 'People Potential'? Previously, I overlooked how a lack of engagement in self-care or a lack of participation in decision-making about one's own health was actually wasteful. Now, by consciously participating in my health decisions, I've significantly elevated my wellness journey.

Quick Reference: The 8 Wastes in Health & Fitness (and Beyond!)

Here's your prompt guide to spotting waste quickly (but remember, extreme awareness isn't always action—it's about conscious choice!):

Transportation: Unnecessarily moving equipment or weights from one location to another, disrupting workout flow.

Inventory: Excessive supplements or fitness gadgets complicating decision-making.

Motion: Spending a lot of time and energy moving your body in ways that don't align with your fitness goals.

People Potential: Lack of engagement in self-care or participation in your own health decisions.

Waiting: Spending excessive idle time between exercises or waiting unnecessarily long for equipment or facilities.

Overprocessing: Using excessively complicated exercises or overly detailed meal tracking when simpler solutions exist.

Overproduction: Doing more exercises or longer routines than needed, causing burnout rather than benefiting your goals.

Defects: Poor form leading to minor injuries or incorrect tracking skewing your progress.

Use these prompts not only in exercise but also in your dietary habits, health monitoring, and overall wellness approaches.

Leaning into Healthier, Smarter Fitness

The beauty of Lean in health and fitness is its constant evolution. Yes, sometimes I push my Lean perspective to extremes. But by consciously deciding what to address and what to simply acknowledge, I've made my health journey incredibly insightful and effective.

It's your turn to don those Waste Glasses—allow yourself some extreme thinking, and see what hidden wastes you uncover in your fitness and health routines. Remember, every identified waste empowers you to choose consciously.

Stay tuned for more waste hunts as we continue discovering hidden efficiencies together!

Happy, insightful waste hunting!

Michelle

P.S. Applying Lean to health and fitness isn't mainstream yet—making you a true pioneer in innovative Lean thinking!