Those Resolution People

If you use a gym regularly then January is not your favourite month. As you try to beat the winter blahs and lose a couple of holiday pounds that may have snuck on from the extra Christmas cookie you are are forced to deal with 'resolution people.' We all know them. They are all the people who show up in January because this is the year they are going to get back into shape. Low and behold you don't see many by the first day in February.

There are a few reasons that most people don't stick to their resolution and are back on the couch in no time:

1. January is a horrible month at the best of times. You come down from the holidays rush and don't really have anything to help you focus. It seems to be time spent marking time, just trying to get through the days until there is a sign of spring. January is cold and dark. The sun is never up and you really would prefer to stay in bed an extra hour than head off to the gym.

2. When people start exercising, they try to do too much too soon. If you have made a resolution to get into better shape you have also admitted to yourself that you are currently not in very good shape. Yes you have to push yourself a bit or there will be no change but it shouldn't be in the first week. Continue to treat your body like you are out of shape. Take the first three or four weeks to just get into the routine of going and exercising. Don't push yourself until the habit of going is setting in. It will also help make it a lot easier to get out of bed two days later.

3. Something always seems to get in the way. It's easy to let distractions get in the way. We all have a life before we attempt to exercise. You have to add this to an existing schedule. You have to make changes and you have to find a way to get your gym time in. It most likely means that you will have to leave home earlier or return home later. It will disrupt your life for a while but if it matters, you will find a way.

4. People are self conscious at the gym. Yes people will look at you and some may even judge you (especially in January) but it is a fleeting thought and will be forgotten before they even leave the gym. You won't lift a lot of weight or run very fast but that's ok. It takes more than a couple of trips to make a difference, especially since your should be wading in not diving in. The secret that nobody tells you is when you are in your worst shape you will see the biggest change in the shortest period of time. Chances are you are doubling or tripling your weekly activity, even if you are not doing as much as those people in the corner with near perfect bodies. That's a big change for your body and you will see yourself change quickly. 

5. The number on the scale doesn't change. This isn't all that uncommon. Depending on what your body was made up of before you started exercising you may be building muscle as fast as you are losing fat. Unless you need to be a certain weight for your job then don't worry too much by the number. Remember, you and your doctor are probably the only two people who know what you actually weigh. How people perceive you is not based on what you weigh in at but how you look in your clothes. Eventually you will have to get smaller clothes so they look good. You should be motivated by using a different belt loop.

6. People keep the same diet. I do not eat a perfect diet but years ago I did notice that when I started to exercise regularly I had to improve my diet. You need to eat in a reasonably balanced manner and try to avoid too much processed food. You are turning your body into a machine and it needs the right fuel to perform. I'm not saying you can't have ice cream but you should have a moderate amount after a meal that includes healthy food. We all know the difference between healthy and unhealthy food. One general rule is if the ingredients came from the fridge, it's probably better than if they all came from the freezer or the cupboard. There are exceptions but if all you are doing is opening the package and putting it in the microwave, it probably isn't the best fuel.

If you already exercise it is in your best interest to encourage others to keep up the good work. I know they fill the gym and don't look like they are doing much but they are taking the first steps. It can be purely selfish reasons to encourage people to exercise regularly. Fit people don't go the doctor as much. You may think that its their problem but in places with universally accessible health care, this can make a significant difference on the tax dollars required to keep the system going. If that isn't selfish enough then there is always the reality that fit people look better. Being around more good looking people will make your day better. Nobody hates eye candy.

I'm sure Monday is going to be super busy at the gym. I will probably mumble to myself a bit but ultimately I hope everyone who is trying to make a change sticks with it.