Schedule first step to keeping fit in new year
Published 12:00am Wednesday, January 5, 2005As many look forward to a new year by making resolutions, they look down to their waistlines, according to local fitness experts.
Highland Health Club general manager Wink Collins said membership always increases right after the holidays.
&uot;To lose weight or to shape up is their main goal. It always seems to happen around this time,&uot; Collins said.
He said many people with the best intentions don’t always keep their promise to get into better shape.
&uot;We are lucky if 40 percent of them keep their resolution, more realistically it’s more like just a third.&uot;
Collins, a spry 80-year-old, said there are steps that can be taken to ensure the zeal to get in shape doesn’t leave you before the last bit of Christmas turkey in the freezer does.
He said that making a fitness schedule a part of life, by establishing a routine instead of having unrealistic expectations, helps.
&uot;I advise them to be put on a program to suit themselves,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s important for people to set aside time to take care of their bodies, that is why people need to get into a routine with it. If that happens, then they will feel as if something is missing from their day if they don’t get a chance to work out.&uot;
Collins said different people come into his club with different goals and part of his job is to make sure that they find a way to meet them.
&uot;Some of them want to lose weight, and some of them want to gain weight by putting on muscle. We have programs for all of them. If they want to lose weight, we use more repetition and if they want to bulk up, we use more weight with less repetition,&uot; he said.
To avoid &uot;burnout,&uot; Collins said it helps to make your workout part of your social life.
&uot;You should do it with people that you enjoy working out with. It helps to have a partner,&uot; he said.
Collins believes the first step is the hardest one.
&uot;One they get to the parking lot, the battle in won. That’s really the hardest part.&uot;
Diane Hargon, a certified personal trainer for Mainstream Fitness, also believes that finding someone to workout with is a good way to keep that promise to get into better shape.
&uot;Some people need a workout partner or a personal trainer to stay motivated,&uot; she said.
Hargon advises those who have resolved to shape up in the New Year to allow themselves some time to do so.
&uot;Don’t overdo it all at once. You should start slow and increase your workout over time,&uot; Hargon said.
She said that starters should have 30 to 45 minutes a day of cardiovascular workout and cautions that those who chose to train with weights only do so every other day, to avoid over fatigue.
Hargon said one thing that frustrates those who are not familiar with the gym is that they aren’t sure what machines to use and how they work.
&uot;Ask questions about how to use machines. A lot of people do it wrong and don’t ask for help and that cause them to get less out of it and can even cause injury,&uot; she said.
Going to the gym is a great idea, but exercise alone may not be enough, according to Hargon.
&uot;Nutrition is very important. No fast foods, and people should eat out less, more home cooking and more fruits and vegetables.&uot;
Dr. Charles Borum of The Family Health Clinic believes it helps those who get in shape to find an exercise they enjoy.
&uot;Don’t make yourself so miserable that you don’t want to do it the next day. Finding a sport that you like is a good way,&uot; he said.
He also advises those who want to get in shape to be aware of their condition before they undertake too strenuous a fitness regiment.
&uot;You don’t want to be doing a 5-mile run and find out in the mile number four that you have coronary disease,&uot; Borum said.
He said while joining a health club is a good idea, but those who resolve to get in shape for 2005 need not incur any great expense.
&uot;Spend $40 on a good pair of shoes and get out and walk,&uot; he said.
