THE parking lot at my gym is still full. There are still many new faces. I love the new energy.
It must be all those New Year’s Resolutions.
But a couple of stories and studies out there say that attendance will decline at the gym in the coming weeks.
I’ve struggled with this myself—not just 27 days in to the New Year, but sometimes just on a random Wednesday.
And Thursday.
And Fri…you get the idea.
Let’s figure out a way to get through the drop off—and keep going.
“Sometimes people can’t sustain resolutions because they’ve created unrealistic goals,” said Nicole Fasules, RD, CD, CSSD, certified personal trainer and registered dietician with her own company, Way of Life Nutrition. “They are taking giant steps and achieving them in a six-week period of time is just overwhelming.
“Sometimes they put unrealistic time frames on goals, or, they have unrealistic expectations of what they should be experiencing at any juncture. When that’s not happening, people see not achieving these things as failure and they lose hope and give up. Sometimes it’s because they are not doing things they enjoy, or eating food they enjoy.
“Usually it’s because they have an unhealthy perspective. People see resolutions—and the act of doing them—sometimes as punishment or something negative. We don’t like punishing ourselves for long, so that will backfire as well—and then we will feel deserving or entitled to the very behavior we have been punishing ourselves for…”
Here’s what I do to try to keep myself going. It isn’t always pretty, it is never perfect, and it may even sound a little crazy—and I still struggle! But I haven’t quite given up yet.
ASK FOR HELP.
I’ve met with trainers and nutritionists for guidance. I considered the expense an investment in to my long-term health and well-being—physical and, especially mental. Sure, I have read the diet and exercise books from Dr. Phil and Geenen Roth. But I can’t e-mail or text them for help.
SCHEDULE WORKOUTS.
I write them in my calendar, like a dentist’s appointment, or a work assignment.
FIGHT THROUGH THE SORENESS.
Not pain—that’s different. The general rule of thumb is that if one side hurts and the other doesn’t, you might be injured. That’s the time to go see a doctor. But when it hurts to sit down, or to lift my arms to style my hair, I’m just sore from squats and triceps dips. It doesn’t mean I should take time off until I’m not sore. Maybe it means a walk is in order or a lighter workout.
MAKE A DEAL.
This is a frequent scene: I’m on the couch and I don’t feel like going to workout or run. I’m tired, something aches, it’s cold outside, it’s dark at 6 (am or pm, same difference). So I start talking. To myself.
I tell myself I will go, I just won’t go as hard or as fast today. I won’t push it. But I will go.
And half the time I feel better once I just get moving—and then I do more than I thought possible. The other half of the time I still feel better anyway.
I did not feel like going to the gym on Saturday after four straight days of workouts. So I went for a walk—and didn’t beat myself up over it. I wasn’t feeling “up” for my 75-minute double pump class last week, either. So I went to a 45-minute class. It’s still OK.
IT’S GOTTA BE FUN.
I don’t want to dread my exercise. I want to love it. Or love hating it. I’ll explain: I hate lifting weights—but in the right class led by a fun instructor or a trustworthy trainer, I buy in to their speeches about the benefits of strength training and cardio. So even though I hate weights, and my palms get ripped up with calluses, and my poor wrists ache, I do it and enjoy the challenge. It’s also crazy to see your own progress when you do the things you don’t like.
However, when I tried 5:30 am workout classes and absolutely hated everything about pushing my body that early in the morning, I ditched that idea. I’ve got enough obligations in my life. My workout shouldn’t be drudgery.
There are some days where I literally run to my workout. I can’t wait to dump everything at the door, lace up my shoes and devote that entire hour just to myself. No cell phones, no e-mails. Any parent, caretaker, multitasker, hard worker—can you relate? It truly may be the only hour of my day I can have selfishly. I’ll endure the freakin’ burpees for it.
If you’re getting started, or in a lull—ask yourself what you like to do for activity? If you’re not a runner, is a Spin class for you? Or would you rather get your cardio from Zumba? Or step class? Boredom is a big thing for me. I get in trouble when I get bored. I lose interest. If I can actually make it, I go to a different exercise class every day or the week, and a lot of them are fun, either because of the instructor, the other participants, the music or the activity.
DON’T FEEL SELF-CONSCIOUS OR INTIMIDATED.
Everyone belongs at the gym.
Everyone.
Are you new? Not a size 4 for women? A little more than 6 percent body fat for men? Don’t have a closet full of the cutsey workout outfits? So what? Everyone belongs in the gym. If you don’t feel accepted, you’re not at the right gym. Keep looking. Maybe there’s a running club. Or an adult sports club. If you’ve heard snippy and snide little comments, directed at anyone, move on to another group. That’s not your fitness community. Those aren’t your people. Keep searching.
Everyone is allowed to have a second, third and 4,976th chance to try the gym again. Or enroll in a half marathon. Or work at better nutrition habits. The funny thing I have learned is the people most likely to offer you a hand to get back up are usually people who work out all the time. Give them a chance. A lot of them have incredible stories, too.
I’ve been there—but a lot of it was my own insecurity. I felt intimidated by skinny people. I felt self-conscious in my own body—before I lost my 35 pounds, when I was at my goal weight, it didn’t matter. That’s awkward, bending like that on a real squat. And I’m sorry, you want me to do what, Zumba instructor? In front of other people?!
I had to get over it.
I still hide in the back of the room sometimes. That should be my resolution: get over that.
MOTIVATION. WHAT WORKS FOR YOU?
Some people buy that new outfit—maybe in another size—and hang it up in the kitchen. That’s their motivation to keep going when things get dull.
Or they post a picture of their vacation destination and think of their swimsuit.
I love events. The Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, a half marathon, Ride for the Arts, an active vacation in Colorado and when I started, 5Ks—that’s my thing. I want to be strong enough to play.
Some days the fear of failing to finish any of these events pushes me to stick with a workout. Some days it is the fear of the unknown; how hard will this mud run be anyway? I better get to class.
And some days, the thought of going back and doing it faster, stronger, and better, is what drives me.
GET AN ANCHOR.
An anchor is a physical object that will remind you of your goals. A photo, a bracelet, a note to yourself.
My Spartan Sprint metal is hanging in my pantry. (I used to keep the scale there but it ticked me off again this winter, so I threw it away. Again.). I can’t do the next Spartan Sprint and those burpees if I keep eating these chips and crackers.
Listen to the trainers, instructors and the nutritionists who want to help you—without judgment. They get it.
Lori Nickel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel