2019 is obviously right around the corner. With the New Years comes New Year’s Resolutions. If I were to bet, most of the resolutions include something to do with fitness & health, whether that be losing weight or just getting stronger. I’m all about new starts and trying to achieve goals! With that being said, A LOT OF PEOPLE QUIT THE GYM WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH. Here 6 reasons why I think this happens and ways you can prevent it from happening.
#1 Not A Clear Goal: This is #1 because this where people go wrong right off the bat. During our consultations at First Capital Gym, we see on most occasions, people do not know exactly what they want…..this is a problem. With no clear goal, there’s no clear path. “I want to lose weight” is not a clear goal. Being more specific like, “I want to lose 15 pounds and tone up in 3 months” is a little more specific.
At First Capital Gym, we like breaking down long term goals (12 months or longer) and scaling them back to 3 month increments. For example, if someone wanted to lose 50 pounds in a year, we will look at the first 3 months and make a plan from there. Your programming, SHOULD look different from the 1st month to months 11-12.
#2 Tour De Force Mode For 30 Days: If you haven’t worked out for months or years and are starting out, my recommendation is to start slow. I see way to many times beginners signing up for Bootcamp classes (yes, Bootcamp classes are still happening) or high intensity interval training classes. This is a recipe for disaster!! Yes, you may see some quick results in the beginning, but this is not a sustainable process. Also, the chances of injury are higher doing these types of classes because the person is unconditioned.
At First Capital Gym, we start all our new members on a 30 Day Jump Start Program. We tell them right up front that the purpose of this program is to get them back into the swing of things, educate them, build habits, and build confidence.
#3 Extreme Calorie Reduction: Amber pretty much summed it up here:https://www.firstcapitalgym.com/instead-of-cutting-tons-of-calories/
#4 The Wrong Exercises: I bet if you go to a big box gym, the abdominal & arm machines will be filled up. The treadmills and elipticals will be taken too. If your goal is fat loss, strength training is going to be your bread & butter. With that said, you want to pick exercises that require the most muscle groups to perform. For example, the leg extension works your quadriceps. The goblet squat works your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and core all at once. The goblet squat is the better choice.
#5 Not Being Consistent: Consistency in your training and eating habits are critical. Showing up to train 1x one week, none the next two weeks, 4x the following week, and zero times the next two weeks will be hard to reach your goals. This is also true with your nutrition. If your goal if fat loss and the majority of your days are “off days”, you more than likely will not get the results you want.
At First Capital Gym, we like to have everyone come in at least twice per week either in our Small Group Training or Team Training classes. This keeps everybody accountable and consistent with the program.
#6 Comparing Yourself To Others: This is one of the biggest mistakes I see. “Comparison is the thief of joy”, said Theodore Roosevelt. If you want to do yourself a favor, stop comparing yourself to a person you see on a magazine or watch on television. Be you and try to improve every week. You just may like the outcome.
I really hope 2019 is your year. If you didn’t know, we offer a 30 Day Jump Start Program at First Capital Gym. This could be a great opportunity to kick off 2019 right!! You can check it out right here>> https://www.firstcapitalgym.com/90-day-beginner-program/