Sticking With Your New Years Resolutions

Thursday, 16 January 2020 at 14:27

If your New Years resolution was to start going to the gym, stick with it because the health benefits, both physically and mentally are immense.

WOODSTOCK - Right about now is when people start giving up on their New Years Resolutions.

If your plan was to start going to the gym, stick with it because the health benefits, both physically and mentally are immense. General Manager of the Goodlife in Woodstock Selina Guy says exercise is a proven stress reliever.

"In recent years with people being more open about their struggles with anxiety and depression, exercise is the number one way to offset that feeling of seasonal affective disorder, that feeling of the blues. The world is very stressful these days and exercise is one of the absolute best ways to deal with that. You will find that you can maintain your weight easier, you might find that your blood sugar levels will start to taper out, you will find that you will lower your body fat percentage but generally you are a happier person to be around when you are exercising."

She admits they usually see an up tick in gym memberships in January and more people coming to the gym after New Years. Guy offers some simple tips to make sure you keep going, even after the first couple of weeks in January.

"Sometimes people start and they have this idea, I am going to work out for the first time in my life and I'm going to do it five days a week. What we look for is some form of consistency, rather than intensity. If you have never worked out before, start with two days a week, you don't need to go gung ho, five days a week. That is a lot, it is a lot for your body, it's a lot mentally and it is a lot to schedule to. Start with two days a week and then from there, you can add in a 3rd, add in a 4th, as you go, but just get that consistent routine in place first, that is what we are always looking for."

Another tip is to schedule the gym into your phone, make an appointment for yourself.

"Use your google calendar, put your workouts in it at the start of the week and then it is an appointment with yourself. You are not going to no show an appointment with your chiropractor or your dentist, so why would you miss an appointment for yourself. So whether it's a class or a workout, pop it into your schedule and get it done and get it out of the way."