Alright Gym Rats, Starting February 7th You Will Have Your Machines Back

We are all well aware of the mad dash to the gym after the new year's resolution kick. Gyms see an increase in gym memberships and definitely a higher increase in gym attendance throughout the month of January. This is all due to the influx of New Years Resolutioners that have decided to better themselves with the turn of the new year.

Gold's Gym does a study every year to find out when the resolutioners tend to fall off their "fitness cliff." A fitness cliff is essentially when a resolutioner has met their peak, hasn't seen the results they were expecting, gives up and falls back into old habits.

The resolutioners have now been committed to this goal for 30 days, so the gears will either be kicked on or shut down for multiple reasons.

-Capricorn season has come to a close on the 21st (I know, it's a sad day for all of us). This affects the process because Capricorn season is the most favorable season for success. This is why goal making and goal committing is SO SO important.

-30 day trials are real whether we intend them to be or not. We typically tell ourselves we will try something for a month and then reevaluate at the end of that month. January just happens to be more in tune with this given its timing.

Did you know it actually takes 66 days to form a habit? Yeah, your parents lied to you when they said 21 days. 66 days or bust.

According to Shape and Gold's Gym, the typical fall off point for most resolutioners is the 38-day mark. That day just happens to be February 7th. Some gyms see declines as early as three weeks into January whereas some other's don't see fall off behavior until closer to March.

Belisa Vranich, Psy. D., and author and clinical psychologist think that because we live in such an instant gratification world that this should apply to weight loss. We assume everything will happen faster and faster.

February 7th is a good gauge date for the regular gym users to get back to their routines. Only 64% of "new year, new me" goal setters last longer than the first month when it comes to the gym, and then from that only 46% last longer than six months according to Statistic Brain.

However, I don't want you to think I have absolutely zero faith in people when they set their mind to the gym from a new years resolution. This can be very rewarding if it is committed too. I was a new years baby! Last year I committed myself to the gym.

I knew the regulars were grumpy about me being there but I pushed through and we made peace with one another once the middle of February came about. I made it past the 6-month mark, obtained my goal and now I'm just working on improving that goal.

I know it can be done, BUT I don't want you to think we ALL don't notice the fitness cliff 44% of people fall off within the first month of the year.

So boys and gals, until February 7th we can either suck it up and wait an hour for our machine, not go to the gym at all (don't become a statistic!) or try some at home workouts until D-Day comes.

Check back on Thursday for my list of Home Workouts To Try When You Just Can't With The Gym to do in the meantime, because, well, we're not in the mood to fight for a machine with someone who won't there in a week.