By Jessie Weisner

Gyms give advice on fitness resolutions

Dec 31, 2018 | 3:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — After gifts, visits and good meals, the Christmas season has come to an end, and most are turning their attention to 2019. Ambition is running high as the time for New Year’s resolutions has begun.

From achieving financial goals to spending more time on travel and leisure, one specific resolution always seems to stand out.

“We’ll definitely see an influx of people over the next couple days to couple weeks,” says Bruce Forester, co-owner of Temple Fitness. “Some will take a little longer to get their way into the doors.”

According to a 2017 Ipsos poll, improving personal fitness and nutrition was the New Year’s resolution for 33% of all Canadians.

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Motivators such as weight loss and improving self confidence led two in ten people to purchase a gym membership.

“Exercise is number one,” says Kaine Dick, owner of Gas City Crossfit “That’s what keeps us healthy, keeps us living longer, move better.”

However, Forester says plenty don’t follow through on their goal.
“There’s still those few unfortunately that might make it from a few days to a few weeks,” says Forester. “You know the wheels fall off and we might not see them after that.”

Although it seems to be a lack of motivation that stops people from returning, one Medicine Hat psychologist says it’s more of an issue with realism.

“The problem that people have is that around Christmas or New Year’s, they make their goals too big and they say ‘from now on I will never do this, or I will always do this’ instead of saying ‘for today I’m just going to focus on this area of my life,’” says Dr. Linda Hancock. “So keep your goals very small and very achievable.”

Instead of saying you’ll be at the gym 7 days a week for two hours, Forester says start a little smaller, so it’s not too intimidating.

“Just make those goals realistic and attainable,” says Forester. “To just keep sticking with them as we going through the days, weeks and months.”

However, there’s only one step to take.

“The hardest part is walking through the door basically,” says Dick.