Why New Year’s Gym Crowds Quickly Fade

It’s always interesting to see the gyms packed full with people at the beginning of a new year or in the spring as summer approaches. Then after a couple months, the gym dies down and goes back to its normal flow.
Why is that?
My conclusion, after witnessing it for years, is for two reasons:

1. Physical pain from overzealousness
2. Mental fatigue. 

Imagine starting your New Year’s resolution to get back in the gym. You immediately go 100% on every single exercise. You even add more exercises to ensure you’ve worked out hard enough. The next day you’re beyond sore, but it’s time to work out again. Oh no, you think. And make every excuse why you can’t go.
It’s not just the physical pain.  It’s also mental exhaustion from asking so much of yourself.
What’s the solution? Make working out easy by making your workout smarter, not harder. Here’s how:
 
Take One Step at a Time
To succeed in making working out a lifestyle, it’s critical to get both your mind and your body into the workout together. So instead of going all out, hold back. On your first day back in the gym go so light that you feel you’re hardly pushing yourself. Add minimal intensity on each subsequent workout until you reach a comfortable, non-painful level and your workouts become a natural routine. This takes a lot of discipline, but the end goal is results over time. Remember it takes on average 21 days to form a consistent routine or  habit.
Also, by not feeling pain you will look forward to going to the gym on subsequent workouts as your mind isn’t perceiving the gym as difficult. You’ll know when working out is a lifestyle when you start to feel guilty about  missing a workout.
And always remember, the competition isn’t with your fellow gym mates, but rather with yourself. 
 
Excerpts from 15 Steps to Healthy Living by Dr. Gordon Fimreite
 
About the Author:
 
Dr. Gordon Fimreite, is clinical director at Chiropractic In Chicago Loop.  He is state and board certified in chiropractic and graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, the founding college of the chiropractic profession and the first such college in the world. Dr. Fimreite is author of  15 Steps to Healthy Living, which is currently available at Amazon and   Barnes & Noble.  Dr. Fimreite and Chiropractic in Chicago Loop was honored with, Best Chiropractor in Chicago 2019  He is also featured in Voyage Chicago | Chicago City Guide.
Phone:  (312) 888-1707 | https://www.DrFimreite.com