I've decided to do an entry about New Years Resolutioners because I've seen a lot of negativity (usually jokes) about this group of people on social media. Understandably this stems from the frustration that is associated with the stereotypical New Years Resolutioner. That is typically the gym is full of newcomers at the beginning of the year due to everybody making fitness based resolutions and within a few weeks the crowd thins out again as people struggle to stick to their commitment.
Why is this frustrating?
Most committed gym goers find New Year an annoying time of year because the gym typically gets busier, full of people suddenly wanting to get in shape. These people of course end up using equipment, making lines for equipment longer and training sessions generally less time efficient. I think people also get annoyed with the resolutioners not only because they are making the gym more cluttered but because time after time we see that the motivation and commitment doesn't last. So I suppose it feels like the gym just gets temporarily busy and committed people are inconvenienced for no reason. If all the resolutioners were to actually stick with their resolutions then I doubt that regular gym goers would become as frustrated because they would have a real reason to be there and a genuine dedication to achieving their goals. That would make a crowded gym much more tolerable.
Tips for New Years Resolutioners
1. Make a real commitment - Like I mentioned above, there is nothing more annoying around this time of year than someone who joins the gym in the new year and takes up space and equipment in the gym only to quit soon after. Make your commitment real. You are going to find it difficult to adjust to training, to changing your eating habits, you will experience some soreness, you will have days where you don't want to train. Be prepared to deal with these things and make sure you are mentally committed to complete the task you set for yourself because it is good for you even when you don't want to do it.
2. Have a realistic plan - Your plan needs to be achievable both in terms of your current level of fitness and your life circumstances. If you aren't used to going to the gym, you have a busy job, 3 kids and 2 pets then training for 3 hours/day, 6 days/week might not be very realistic for you. If you were to set a plan to train 3 days per week or even 2 days per week for 1 hour then honestly that would be a great start. And if someone were new to training then that would yield some results over time provided they were consistent in implementing it. Don't be over-zealous when setting plans initially, in fact it doesn't hurt to be conservative.
3. Don't listen to the naysayers - I realise I've just written a few paragraphs about how annoying New Years Resolutioners can be. However I realise that some of you may be in this situation and you might not be very motivated. So if you are a New Years Resolutioner who wants to get in the gym and improve themselves then I encourage you to do it. Giving it a go doesn't hurt and there have been some people who have changed themselves dramatically having started off with a New Years resolution. I recall that natural pro bodybuilder Ryan Doris was once one of these people. No doubt many others have been the exception to the rule and have made huge changes to their lives and their health. You have the capacity to do it too, you just need to take the appropriate steps and stick to it.
4. If you fail don't give up - Clearly not everyone who starts out with the best intentions to get fitter in the new year is going to be successful the first time. If you do mess up then there is nothing wrong with that. Just get started again. There is a quote that I saw posted on instagram the other day that said "if you were serious about your New Years resolution, you'd be doing it already". There is some truth to this. You don't have to wait for a particular date to start. You don't have to start diets on Mondays. Just start these things whenever you want to. If you start your New Years resolution and fail then don't wait until January 2017 to get started again. Keep at it throughout 2016 until you fail less often.
5. Set a goal and go after it - The worst thing you can do is go into the gym with the vague idea of "I want to get fitter". What does "fitter" mean to you? Stronger? More muscular? Lower body fat? Improved cardiovascular endurance? Increased flexibility? etc. Think about exactly what you want to achieve, set some SMART goals, create a plan, hire a coach/trainer if you need help and make sure you stay dedicated to it.
I hope that this post was helpful to anybody considering embarking on their fitness journey. Again a Happy New Year to you all and all the best to you for your health and wellness in 2016.
Need help with your 2016 goals? Send me an email and let's discuss what you want to achieve.
Muscle Academy contact details:
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- Evan
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