Every year the fitness industry receives a boom of members attempting to begin their New Year’s resolutions.  Beginning a new exercise regimen falls in the top five resolutions. Only 8 percent of people are always successful in achieving their resolutions. In fact, according to statistics, 40-45 percent of Americans will make a New Year’s resolution. Unfortunately, after week number one, 75 percent have already given up.

“There are several factors which contribute to defeat those resolutions,” says Jennifer Smith, FiTour ProTrainer (ACSM-HFS, AFAA, BS-Exercise Science and lead fitness instructor for St. John’s Fitness Centers. “We are a society of Now. Want it Now. Get it Now. Results Now.”

Smith says most people dive into an exercise program that is too much, too fast.  Their bodies hurt from the grueling classes and weight lifting programs.  Their bellies are hungry and craving the foods they promised to give up.  Finally, one day the individual caves and gives in to their bodies.  The resolutions begin to drift away daily until one finds themselves right where they started, if not worse, with feelings of disappointment and failure.

“Think of exercise as a retirement fund or purchasing a very high-dollar vehicle.  Right now, you can’t retire or buy a new, very high dollar vehicle but if you invest, in the future your can,” she said.

Keep It Super Simple.  Make super simple goals.  Make super simple, non-food rewards for accomplishing these goals.  Make super simple choices.

Calories in and calories out:  If you want to maintain your weight, maintain your caloric intake and expenditure – basically keep doing what you are doing currently. For weight loss try to take away one item daily which equals 100 (a glass of juice or bite size candy bar). In seven days, you will have a 700 calorie deficit from that one item.

Nutrition: The better your food choices, the better your body becomes.  This doesn’t mean you eat fresh organic veggies and veggie burgers as your only source of fuel. Think of food in terms of fuel for your car. If you want to keep your Cadillac running smooth, you put the premium fuel into your vehicle to keep the engine running great for a very long time. You use quality oil. You keep coolant in the radiator.  The food you consume is fuel for your body. The “premium” fuel helps your body run at it’s best and keeps your “engine” running great for a very long time. The “quality” oil is the good fats and oils you consume to keep your health in shape. The fluids you consume help regulate your body temperature (your radiator) and helps with cellular processes. If you are dehydrated, your body begins to break down.  So, water intake is very important.  

Exercise:  Examine your current physical fitness level.  If you currently perform cardio-respiratory exercises (biking, walking) three days a week for 30-minute sessions, try to add one more day and burn some extra calories. Try to accumulate 30 minutes of cardio-respiratory exercise most days of the week. This will make your heart and lung functioning (VO2) improve, as well as various other health-related components, plus you will be burning calories.  Include two to three days of weight training exercises, to be performed every other day. These exercises improve the muscle tissue, bone, and joint integrity, plus another way to burn calories. 

Incorporate a wellness component. Do something for you!  Spend 30 minutes meditating, relaxing, positive self-talking, or praying. Anything you can do for 30 minutes to calm the mind and de-stress. 

Lastly, stretching is fundamental. You must plan time to stretch. Stretching helps calm the mind and body, lengthen the muscles, and decrease pain. 

For media information, please contact St. John’s Media Relations at 417-820-2426 or cora.scott@mercy.net.