Sideline Chatter
The New Year has begun and many of us have made—or at least thought about making—a New Year’s Resolution
The New Year has begun and many of us have made—or at least thought about making—a New Year’s Resolution. Learn something new, spend more time with family, stop midnight-snacking. In other words, yet another “new year, new me” promise that will end in a matter of weeks, even days. The resolution that seems most common is to lose weight and get fit. And where is the perfect place to make that happen? The gym. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, the $30 billion health and fitness industry in the U.S. grows at least 3 to 4 percent annually and has been growing this way for the last ten years.
Maybe that’s due to the new desire to eat healthier, which in turn causes more people to be interested in fitness. Maybe it’s because of the variety of options now offered as forms of fitness–SoulCycle, Barry’s BootCamp and Orangetheory to name a few–so that anyone and everyone can find some form of exercise they enjoy. It may even be that Lululemon is starting to take over the world and people want to show off their new Lulu jackets and sweat suits to their local gym buddies.
Whatever the reason, the fitness industry is certainly booming. Every January, fitness clubs send out promotions and sales in an attempt to reel in those who wish to start the year off with a brand new membership. So, after a season of holiday parties and eating way too many Christmas cookies, it’s only fitting that a resolution to lose weight and get ripped quickly follows. And, not surprisingly, according to the U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. . .and 6 percent of newly purchased gym memberships go unused by the time February roles around.
Why is that? Well, I’d like to say it’s because people find other interests or are too busy. But in reality, our determination to achieve that slim summer bod rises and falls, and many people end up falling off the wagon.
Well, I choose to believe that 2020 can be different. Last weekend, the quarterback of the Houston Texans Deshaun Watson brought his team back from a 16-0 deficit to beat the Buffalo Bills 22-19. His mantra that he repeated before and during the game was: “Somebody has to be great, why not me?” I think that same logic can be ingrained in the minds of the gym newbies, the rookie runners and the beginner bikers.
There are good reasons why fitness is growing in popularity particularly among this generation, not least because it fills an aching need for community–not to mention, the added health benefits. So come for the membership, stay for the fellowship and new friends. And when you find yourself looking to refund your newly purchased gym membership, call upon your inner Deshaun Watson. Dare to be great. Stick to your exercise goals so you can look, feel and live great. Somebody has to do it. Why not you?
Contact Lacey Yahnke at lyahnke@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.