New Year New Me...
- ivanvarelacpt
- Jan 2, 2019
- 4 min read
The New Year is officially underway, and you have decided that this is the year you lose a few of those unwanted pounds, or gain that “muscular” look you’ve seen in the magazines. While this sounds great, it is my duty to be as realistic as possible with you and provide you with the straight forward information needed to succeed.
First, if you haven’t done so already I would recommend you read one of my previous articles (titled- Weight Loss Made Easier) to have a better understanding of the changes (physically and mentally) required for you to achieve the desired end goal.
Second, I will be referencing everything in this article around the context of the New Year resolution. However, these basic tips should help you out with any fitness goal you are looking to embark (beginners and people trying to get back to the gym).
Lastly, it can take (on average) about 30 days of consecutive effort to develop a habit, so please don’t break your resolution without a minimum of 30 consecutive days of effort.
Now I will provide you with some basic tips below that should help you with your New Year’s Resolution for the gym.
Here are some things you want to avoid/place little emphasis on:
1.) Unplanned chaos- If you made the resolution of being consistent with the gym, and food choices you make, please be sure to have a plan (of which also includes periods of uncertainties). No plan at all will likely lead to the end of a very quick New Year’s resolution. With that said, it is very likely that things will not go according to plan, when that time comes, do your best to adapt to the situation at hand.
2.) Comparing yourself to others- Other people are going to embark on their start of a fitness lifestyle for the New Year as well. As all of us are unique beings, results can differ from individual to individual. Don’t make the mistake of getting too caught up in other people’s social media posts and don’t compare yourself to others in the gym. Try to stay focused in on what your goal is and monitor your own success.
3.) Fancy Gear/ Thinking you can only workout at a gym- From my experience with exercising and seeing others exercise, I seen too many people year after year focusing on buying gym equipment that isn’t necessarily required for their goals. If you haven’t exercised at all, or are trying to get back into the swing of things, it is unlikely that those $300 squat shoes are going to help you shed that unwanted body fat, or to gain that 10 pounds of muscle. I understand this is an exaggeration of what some people may do for their New Year’s resolution, but the point I am trying to make is- no amount of gym gear and nice clothing will keep you motivated for the duration of time required to see any meaningful changes in your body. Also, some of you may not be able to budget out for actual gym facilities, and/or may prefer to workout at home or at a park. Don’t make the assumption that you have to have access to weight lifting equipment (free weights and machines) to make progress in your current goals. Do your research and you’ll see some trainers offer FREE bodyweight exercises that will help you make some gains!
Alternatively, here are some things you should place more emphasis on:
1.) The gym you select/choice of training style- Do some research before you decide whether an actual gym facility is required/compatible to your needs. If the case is that you need a gym facility, make sure to select one that fits your daily habits. I understand Gym A may be running a great discount special, but if Gym A is too far of a commute, or the hours of operation are outside of the hours you can meet, then perhaps you may want to rethink signing with that particular gym, and sign with a facility that will allow you to have the best chances of success. To expand further, perhaps the gym isn’t required for your specific goal. If you set the resolution of increasing your general health, you may be able to satisfy that goal by changing your daily routine to increase your activity levels.
2.) DO have a partner- To be clear, I don’t believe you need a partner to go to the gym with you every day and every workout, in order to be successful. But what I do believe you need is a partner who will hold you accountable for your goals. This partner doesn’t even have to work out or be interested in working out. You should try to select someone (with their consent of course), that will check up on your status of your goal(s) and will not be afraid of telling you when you are not performing up to standards. This will force you to provide a status report of sorts to the partner and further solidify your New Year’s resolution!
3.) DO your research! –Some of you may be able to afford a personal trainer, and typically around this time of the year it isn’t uncommon to see gyms offering a free first time personal training session/consult. If the gym offers the free consultation/sessions with a trainer, take it and see what valuable information you may be able to obtain from the consult. If you like what the trainer can offer to you, and can afford the rates, then by all means sign up with him/her. However, if you can’t afford the trainer, or don’t particularly find the trainer to be helpful, there are other options/resources! Not all trainers are created equal and not every trainer trains the same way, so you should seek a trainer that meets your needs. If you can’t afford a personal trainer, you can most certainly gather a bunch of free information online, free workout programs/plans and much more. I would encourage you to do your research as much as possible so that you are better equipped to take on your new year challenge.
If you made it this far in the article, please stay tuned for the next article posting as I will be sharing with you a detailed (full body program) that I believe will be perfect for the beginner starting their gym journey. This program can be ran for 30-45 days without much changes in the actual exercise selection.
Author:
Ivan Varela NASM CPT
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