It’s the first month of the new year. Gym owners are loving the increase in memberships. Long-time members are growling about the packed gyms, telling themselves, “it’s just for a month, maybe two”.
Personally, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is so encouraging to see how many people realize they need to make a positive change in their life, in this specific example, increasing their physical activity. It’s also nice for gyms and trainers to see an increase in business and be challenged to have a higher retention rate than years past. However, tonight as I was trying to complete my own work-out, I watched several “new year, new me” members not even attempt to put weights away. They either left them on the bars or, to my great annoyance, just put them on the ground.
While I was putting away the weights left on the floor, I constantly reminded myself that at least they were there. They were trying to improve their health and fitness status. Even if they are in it purely to lose a few clothing sizes, they will reap health benefits as well hopefully gain self-confidence.
I have a question for those who are not in the gym as 2018 starts: what’s holding back your fitness plans?
We all have heard about the many health benefits of exercise – your heart and the rest of the cardiac system, muscles and bones, stability and flexibility, etc. We are learning more about how exercise can decrease depression and anxiety; we know exercise can boost self-efficacy. Why would you not want to reap those benefits?
I have already heard quite a few excuses:
“It’s too far.”
“I’m too busy.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
That first excuse is the one that, truthfully, has me biting my tongue from making a quick response I would likely regret. I live in the country, which I absolutely love, but the nearest gym to me is over 30 minutes away. Tonight and yesterday, I drove 45 minutes one way to get in a solid work-out. I once drove over an hour one to get to a job that I dreaded. If I am not willing to drive at least that long to better myself, I need to check my priorities and make sure my health gets placed closer to the top.
I understand the seemingly lack of time.
If I do not look at my schedule and write in the day and time I will be working out for the next week or two, I tend to get overwhelmed with work and family and volunteer work. Guess what gets pushed off to the side with the promise of going longer the next day? That’s one of the benefits of having a trainer – either in person or online – and scheduled sessions with someone reminding you to set that time aside.
It just so happens that having a trainer, again, either online or in person, will help you know what to do when it comes to exercise. We can program out work-outs specific to your goals, any previous injuries or medical concerns, your schedule, and your resources. We can show you either through demonstration and correction or through videos and instructions how perform each movement safely.
The last excuse, not mentioned above, is usually a concern about finances.
The answer to that is to shop around. Do not commit to a trainer – wasting both of your time – without doing research. What are their credentials? Do they specialize in any specific training? Do you have any health concerns they may not be trained and certified to train? Do you feel that what they have to offer you is worth what they’re asking? What are you willing to pay to get into better health now rather than wait and try to fix health problems later? What’s holding back your fitness plans?
