As calendars flipped to January 2018, many people made resolutions to eat less and exercise more, the latter resulting in filled gym parking lots, no empty cubbies in the locker rooms and wait lines at cardio machines. At least that’s what I expected to find when I went to take my first exercise class of the new year on January 2.
According to Google, 20 percent of all New Year’s resolutions are kept for longer than a month. And only 8 percent of the people who make them, keep them after that.
Let me back up a bit. For most of my young and old adult life, at the beginning of every new year, I too would find myself making New Year’s resolutions to exercise daily, eat better and/or call my family on a more regular basis. I have never been one of the New Year’s Resolution success stories. A few years ago, I resolved to not make any resolutions. At all. It was freeing. I could potentially sit around and watch movies, eating all the potato chips I wanted, guilt free.
But not really.
It’s been years since I joined a gym. I have spent hundreds of dollars on gym memberships that I stopped using well before the membership expired or I cancelled it. Sometimes I quit going because I was disappointed with the facilities, sometime because my favorite teacher stopped teaching there, or because my workout buddy stopped going, or simply because I was bored.
In 2017, I didn’t call it a resolution but I changed my diet, trying to “get in shape” and “feel better” for the first few months of the year. Doing it on my own was NOT getting the results I wanted and needed.
I know myself. I need a cheerleader. Someone encouraging me, counting reps for me and keeping me in line. But how could I get this without wanting to quit?
Spring of 2017 I took a tour of Fitness Evolution (“FitEvo”) on Iowa Street. I checked out the class schedule and the pricing. They have a very affordable, $9.99/month fee that gives members access to all of the cardio and weight machines as well as their full locker rooms with saunas. For an additional price, child care, fitness classes and personal trainers are thrown in.
I took the fitness class schedule home and read each of the weekly classes’ descriptions. Jessica Cowden, FitEvo’s Group Fitness Coordinator, manages a crew of twelve fitness instructors that lead 40 weekly fitness classes. Each class is about an hour long and includes a warm up and cool down. I made the commitment to purchase the higher monthly membership that included unlimited fitness classes. (Bonus – that also includes unlimited tanning.) From the descriptions, I avoided classes that looked like they might be high impact or include too much jumping for me (like the step class.) I entered the classes I wanted to try onto my weekly planner so I wouldn’t double book other appointments. I resolved (I need a better word) to try different teachers, which sometimes resulted in taking more than one session of each class. I was ready!
Two weeks later, I plunked my credit card down on the Formica front desk. “Sign me up,” I said to the nonplussed employee behind the counter. For the price of admission, I also received a free fitness evaluation, which included (gulp) getting weighed and measured.
My first class was Zumba. I went to introduce myself to the teacher to let her know it was my first day. Fitness Instructor Betty Beieler teaches most of the Zumba classes offered at FitEvo.
Betty introduces herself at the beginning of every class. She smiles, thanks us all for coming and reminds us to “stand up straight, hold shoulders back and bellies in, and have fun.” Betty, a trained dancer, is encouraging and energetic and the class is really fun. About six other women introduced themselves to me that first day and remembered me a few days later, making me feel welcome.
Over the course of the next two weeks, I tried classes based upon their written descriptions. I walked into (and straight out of) a Bodystep class that first week because it was too high-impact. I took a class called “Shred” (which is now re-named “Burn”) that is a combination of cardio, core and strength training and had too many moves that made me dizzy.
I went to the person working the front desk and asked if someone could give me more in depth class descriptions and advice. “Ask Tammy,” the young man said, pointing to a woman behind the juice bar at the entrance. I assumed she was one of the instructors but, as it turns out, Tamara McClellan is the owner! She listened to my requests for low impact cardio and suggested I try TRX, a suspension weight training program and Bodypump, a barbell workout.
I think it may have been my third week when I ventured in to Jessica’s TRX class. I introduced myself and asked if she showed options, in case the moves were too challenging for me. She said she did. However, that didn’t stop me from doing an exercise incorrectly, resulting in Physical Therapy.
Turns out, I haven’t been squatting correctly for all of my life. Fortunately, I had enough PT appointments authorized that it was like having a personal trainer. Thanks to Brittany from CorePhysio Physical Therapy, I recovered quickly and we were able to supplement my exercise program with stretches I could do at home. We also worked on strengthening and she gave me tips for floor exercises. I returned to class armed with better education, which has since resulted in a stronger core.
(Note to those reading this, it is suggested that you check with your primary care physician before starting a strenuous exercise plan, so you avoid injury. It’s a good idea. Trust me.)
If you are considering joining a gym, Jessica and Betty have offered these tips to success:
- Stay hydrated and listen to your body.
- Go with a friend and/or make friends there.
- Try to stand in the same spot every class. Notice the same people in “their” spot too.
- You won’t get big bulky muscles if you challenge yourself with weights and you won’t tone up unless you challenge yourself with weights.
- If you are challenged in a Fitness class, try it at least three times. Typically, the least crowded classes are early morning, noon, and evening (even though the weights and cardio equipment may be busy).
- And most importantly, from Betty, don’t compare your level of ability to someone else’s.
I would say my favorite classes are Zumba, TRX and Bodypump. For stretching and balance I take Bodyflow (a combination of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates.) After nine months of regular attendance (yay me!) and a lot of hard work and sweat, I am happy to report I have lost some weight and inches. Jessica and Betty are very inspiring teachers.
Jessica says her personal workout routine consists of the classes she teaches six days a week. I had only ever taken her weight training classes, so I asked her about her cardio workout plan. (Her classes usually include a little cardio thrown in, almost like circuit-training.) Jessica invited me to try BodyCombat, a mix of cardio and martial arts. It’s only offered once a week and it’s during the dinner hour (not that I eat dinner then). I just assumed the gym would be full of people getting off of work and I expected the parking lot to be packed (which it was).
I made it through the class. (Betty’s advice to not look at other people to compare yourselves to their abilities kept me from running out of the room from humiliation.) I can see how BodyCombat might be the only cardio class one might need in a week. I was wiped out. When I got home and looked at my flushed face in the mirror, I realized I hadn’t worked out that hard in a while.
I will probably brave the parking again next week.
Here’s to the non-New Year’s Resolution I actually kept.
