Here we are in 2023, and undoubtedly, over 80% of people have set some form of fitness or health resolution. Most gyms will be waiting for the influx of those people with baited breath. Why?
Here’s the kicker
Because gyms live for New Years Resolutioners. They know that 90% of them will go really hard for three months and then just fall off the wagon. They will have signed up for 12 months and be sold undoubtedly everything they can. Supplements? Check. Meal planning? Check. How about some new clothing? Tick that box too. After that initial frenzy, the gym now has 9 months of easy money. Nothing they need to do. Apart from when their member comes in to cancel, they remind them of their New Years Resolution (NYR). They then re-commence their fitness journey, and last maybe 4 weeks, and then fizzle out again. Every now and again, they feel like going back in to cancel their membership, but they don’t want to be reminded how they failed. And you didn’t fail. You just didn’t plan properly.
What to do instead
Don’t sign anything. Instead, find a time that is going to work for you. Spend the month of January trying to organise what you want to achieve. Sprinkle your day with 10 minute activity blocks, where you go for a walk, stretch, jump on a bike, do some squats and pushups, and try to do 2-3 blocks every second day. On the other days, spend some time reading, sitting quietly watching the world go by, and writing down your processes. These are your thought bubbles.
Thought Bubbles
Your little thought bubbles are here to get you to understand what it is you are really after. Use a piece of paper, or even your phone to decide if you really need to join a gym. Write them down. Be honest with yourself and what is you are really after. Remember, these are your thoughts. Just remember this, not everyone needs to join a gym.
Find your WHY
If I can give you one piece of advice, it’s to find your why. Without your why, you are just going to be spinning your wheels. Let me give you an example:
You want to become healthier. Why? Now answer the question. You will find there is something niggling away. It could be your parents gave you some awful heart genes, and this is your way to live a little longer.
You want to lose 5 kilos. Again, ask yourself why. Is it because your clothes dont fit as well as they should, or you are becoming aware of how much harder keeping up with the kids, grandkids or maybe even your grandparents. It’s probably not the fact that you need to drop any weight. It’s probably down to the fact you haven’t done anything for a long time. Maybe use those 10 minute activity blocks mentioned above, to get some life back into that amazing body of yours.
If you find you work best alone between 5am-7am, then find a gym that is open at that time. If it’s in your lunch time, and you like group sessions, then find a gym that runs lunchtime HIIT sessions. If you find you love to run and walk, hit up parkrun, but don’t forget strength training also benefits your running and walking.
A final thought
At the end of the day, do some soul searching. Understand your why. Find out what it is you want to achieve. Write it down. Make sure it’s what you want. Don’t get swayed by friends or family. Do it for you. After all, you, and you alone, control what you do on an hourly, daily, weekly and monthly basis. It’s always been up to you.
