5 Reasons You Shouldn't Join a Gym this January

Time: 2 minutes
January 15, 2018

Holiday season gone, it’s the time of the year when many people start paying attention to our shape, or how out of shape we are.

If you’ve been surveying gym memberships and the latest diet trend, you are not alone.

While you might genuinely intend to regularly attend your new gym, get fit and lose weight, gym statistics tell a completely different story shocking numbers of unused memberships every year.

“But I want to get fit, what am I supposed to do?” I hear you say. The good news is that you can still get fit without falling in “failed new year resolution” trap.

1. Identify your true motivation to get in shape

If fitting into a smaller size is your motivation, that’s totally cool but why is that important to you? For me getting in shape is very much about feeling good, feeling strong. I love being able to go up the stairs (or escalators!) without losing my breath by the time I make it to my destination. I love running around with my dog when we go the park. Perhaps most importantly, having a fitness routine and eating like I love my body makes a significant positive impact on my health. What’s not to love?

2. Ease into exercise

Going from not exercising at all to hitting the gym 6 days a week might seem like a great idea, hello commitment, right? Wrong! The change is too drastic for you to turn exercise into a habit. The problem with all or nothing thinking is that once the excitement wears off and the reality of your daily routine catches up with you, you end up relying on willpower and willpower will only take you so far. Start small by for example setting a daily step goal or finding a short fitness video on YouTube you can easily fit into your day.

3. Eat mindfully

This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to understand what you’re working with in the food department. Once you get a clear picture of what your food and eating patterns are like, you’ll find it much easier to make healthy tweaks. Like with anything, small consistent changes are key to sustainable change!

4. Create a support system

It’s really important to let people around you know about the changes you make to your lifestyle. You never know, some might want to jump on board and become your workout/health-minded buddies!

5. Celebrate

I don’t personally measure my success by how much I weigh but rather by how feel, my energy levels and how my clothes fit me. Regardless of how long you’ve been doing something, it’s really important to take time to acknowledge the efforts you’ve made and how far you’ve come. Celebrating throughout your journey will also create a positive association in your mind between fitness, health and feeling good…And that’s how you make it stick!

Wanna read more about my approach to food and fitness? Check out my book STUFFED: how to feel so good about yourself you won't have room for cake.

crossmenu