80% of New Year's fitness resolutions fail

and of course one of the most popular NY resolutions is to lose weight or get in shape. For the most part the people that make these decisions for the "new year, new me" don't get into specifics and this is just part of the reason why almost everyone fails when they use the new year as a reason to go to the gym. People like me that use the gym year round kind of loathe the people who do the new year resolution thing because it seems like every year that the gyms are absolutely packed for January and the first couple of weeks of February. Of course, after that it tapers off dramatically and returns to normal attendance numbers.

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I've never been a fan of resolutions on a schedule like Jan 1st and the main reason for this is that most people make these decision when they are hammered drunk on December 31st. The hangover kicks in on the 1st, then college football bowl games happen and the associated parties, and getting in the gym is something that continually gets pushed further and further back or doesn't happen at all.

It isn't really an option at most gyms but I think that if someone wants to make a resolution that is fitness oriented you don't need to do it on Jan 1st. In fact, I think you probably leave yourself open to failure dramatically less if you just do it on a Monday, or Friday.

Also, just like I have said many times before you need to make small and manageable goals and these goals need to be specific. I would prefer if someone just said "I'm going to run or walk 10km per week" rather than say something that can't really be measured like "I'm going to get in shape." What does that really mean anyway?

"In shape" to you might have a very different notion to it than it does for me and an athlete is going to have a much different idea about what that means than I do. You can't really measure "in shape" but you can measure 10km. Also, this is not a lofty goal at all and there is some, but not too much pressure to get it done early in the week. Plus, it might surprise a lot of people how if the 10k is finished by say, Tuesday, there is a really good chance that someone it going to feel motivated to do even more and not just quit as soon as they hit the 10k finish line.

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There's also these clowns and yes, I have noticed a great increase in phone resters in my gym in January. The regulars try to play it cool but it gets really annoying when someone is taking up space and not even using the equipment. Regulars are guilty of this as well but I guess it is just more likely to happen with the people who didn't come to the gym with a plan and probably have a vague goal like "get in shape" in mind. Or maybe they just feel as though if they spend an hour in the gym, even if that hour is spent mostly on the phone, that it still counts towards fitness goals.

Now I am not ever going to get on anyone's case for trying to better themselves I just think that choosing a new year resolution is one of the stupidest things that someone can choose as a time or date to have a go at bettering themselves. Also, seeing as how these are the busiest months for the gym the resolutioners are also going to see the gym when it is at its worst and busiest. Perhaps they don't even realize that their choice to gym it up for 6 weeks is actually a very large part of the problem.

People should have goals, but they need to be specific and measurable. Saying "get in shape" or "lose weight" is not specific and almost guaranteed to fail. Don't wait for the new year to make a change in your life. You can do it any day of the year and when you do decide to do it, for god's sake make it something that you can actually achieve ok? You can always move the finish line later.