Often seen as a chance to make a positive change in someone’s life, New Year’s and better exercise go hand-in-hand.
But, Audra MacIntyre, founder of My Revolution Cycle and Yoga, said New Year’s resolutions get a bad reputation because people set them, but they may drop them.
“We try to focus more on getting people to find something they love to do and then they’ll stick with it,” said MacIntyre, whose title also includes chief happiness officer.
“Instead of approaching it from the ‘I need to change myself, I need to be better.’ There’s a lot of marketing around ‘we’ll transform you.’ We try to stay away from that. Instead of thinking about the things you want to chance about yourself, how about how do you want to feel.”
Jack Wheeler, owner of 360 Fitness in Red Deer, said if someone can’t make it past week six of a resolution then the resolution won’t stick.
“The first six weeks are the most imperative, that’s where habits form and the behavioural changes happen,” said Wheeler. “You see people make week four, week five even and then quit. They’re one week away form achieving everything they want to. If you can make it to week six you’ve got it.”
That sixth week, Wheeler referred to it as “hell week” helps form the habit.
“Usually around that week five, week six mark everything changes. The results come,” said Wheeler. “If we can get them to the sixth week, that’s our coaches job, get them to hell week.”
Other ways to help keep to the resolution Wheeler suggested included telling people about goals so they can hold you accountable and encourage you and understanding the scale isn’t the be-all-end-all.
“People have the scale as their only success factor,” said Wheeler, who’s company uses a body composition analysis. “It analyzes not just what your weight is, but what is made of and gives you a clearer view of what success is.”
Goal setting is a part of resolutions and My Revolution has challenges three times a year with the first one starting in February.
“We specifically don’t do it January because there’s that push for people to try new things,” said MacIntyre.
The challenge encourages goal setting and friendly competition and offers rewards including membership discounts.
The yoga and spin studio located in Riverlands has been open for about a year-and-a-half. MacIntyre said business has been steady since the new year, but noted they saw a greater business increase after summer.