The February Slump
Here’s a fun fact…
80% of you who made New Year’s Resolutions will give up by Valentine’s Day. Yep. It’s a documented statistic and it sucks. Especially when you really do want to make a positive change. And, even more so if you’ve invested in a gym membership. The average gym can see an increase in memberships of up to 40% during January but the trends show that 4 percent of new gym goers don’t even make it to the end of January and 14 percent drop out in February.
So, maybe you’re among the 14% of gym drop outs or you’re in the 80% of well-intentioned resolution makers who’ve said “Eff it…I like sitting on the couch eating ice cream!”
You’ve tried the gym and it’s not your thing for a myriad of reasons – too crowded, too many germy people touching all the equipment, no assistance from gym staff or you’ve just got a general feeling of intimidation because you’re the newbie and all the regulars know exactly what they are doing (spoiler alert – most of them don’t!).
I gave up the gym about 3 years ago. For some of the reasons above and the fact that I prefer to not drive somewhere to workout given my busy schedule and travel for work. Sure, I love group classes, but they were never at the right times for me and now there are so many online options for classes and the wonderful world of Class Pass and other similar services.
Opting out of that Gym Life
If your about to check out of the gym scene, and are a little lost on your resolutions, here are few tips for reevaluating and getting back on track toward your goals.
First – do you really want to quit the gym? Nowadays they are much more lenient in gym memberships and contracts which makes it easier to cancel. So, if you’re really thinking of canceling make sure it’s for the right reasons. If it’s because you can never seem to get there for a class you wanted to take, or if it’s out of the way on your drive to and from work, or if it just doesn’t have the clientele that you feel comfortable being around (gyms all have a personality and the people who join tend to emulate that), then it’s probably not going to work. If you are quitting because you took a few classes and you’re sore or the treadmills were all taken when you showed up at a prime time, then you may want to give it another go because those are not reasons to just throw in the towel. Revisit why you joined and if you’ve really committed to trying.
Re-create the gym at home. If you decide you want to quit, what’s your back up plan? Could you create the gym experience at home? What did you like about the gym? Was it the classes? The variety of equipment? Having other people around you for motivation? Pick the things you liked and re-create them in your own home. If it’s classes, get online and find a streaming service or search YouTube for exercise classes and demos. Here’s the beauty of this…it’s on your schedule, you can try new things without feeling awkward or embarrassed, and you can start and stop the video to ensure you’re doing it right. Winning! If you like the equipment they have at the gym, investigate what you can invest in now. Guess what – all the people who bought treadmills for their New Year’s resolution and found out they hate running will be looking to unload it for a sweet price. Check online garage sale pages for good deals. If you liked the loud music or having people around you, get a good wireless speaker for your music and invite a friend over to workout.
Did you have an accountability partner? Among the 80% who give up on their New Year’s resolutions there are people who probably would have succeeded if they had someone keeping them accountable, or at least encouraging them. Accountability is a critical factor to achieving any goal. Yet, when it comes to our health and wellness, we’re often to proud or too stubborn to ask for help and support. And, when we do pick someone to hold our feet to the fire, they tend to be people who love us and have a tough time giving us some tough love. Behavior modification is difficult to do alone especially if you’ve engaged in a behavior (i.e. overeating or being sedentary) for years. Having someone who can have the tough conversation with you is just as important as signing up for the gym. Did you have someone who was checking in on you to see if you were going to the gym? Or better yet, who would go with you? If not, you may want to enlist the help of someone who is good at giving you a gentle but firm push to stick to your goals.
Don’t Give UP!
Gym membership or not, if you’ve said sayonara to your resolutions, don’t give up all together. You can refocus and get back on track. Working with a coach or trainer – even for a short period of time – can make it easier. We work with you to ensure you are setting SMART goals, that you are doing exercises appropriate for your skill and fitness level and we can look at your food journal and help you identify patterns and gaps in your nutrition and hydration. Most importantly, we hold you accountable without worrying about offending you or jeopardizing a relationship. Tough love is our thing.
If you’d like to chat about the resolutions you made or if the gym is really for you, I’d love to help. Message me or get one step ahead of the game and fill out this free online wellness assessment and we’ll chat about your answers on a no obligation Well Chat.
It’s only February…don’t give up!