Keeping fit

According to the American Fitness Professionals and Associates, only 20 per cent of the population keeps their fitness resolutions each year.

Dave Tofinetti has owned and operated Fitness Plus on Victoria Avenue for about 20 years and said the new year always brings a slight uptick in people taking out memberships at his gym. But while many new faces can be found grunting under bench presses or sweating on the treadmill, a huge percentage won’t be regulars by Easter.

“Every gym in the entire world sees that,” Tofinetti said, noting he sees the most new activity in the spring, with the summer clothes season right around the corner.

“It’s an attrition loss and there’s nothing you can do about it. They’ll come in. For some of them it’ll be hard, or they’ll be injured or something will cause them to not come anymore. They’ll just revert back to their sedentary lifestyle,” he said.

Easing your way into a routine is the best way to ensure it sticks, he said.

“Don’t come in here thinking you’re going to Mr. or Miss Olympia in a couple of months. You have to start slow, get your muscles and joints used to doing this first, and then you just gradually get into a routine.

“If you’re going to be inclined to do this long-term, chances are you are going to do it long-term. But I can’t put a percentage on it. But the number of people who actually stick to it is not as high as those who start out, that’s for sure.”

But there are keys to keeping that resolution to get fit in 2012, Tofinetti said, adding getting people there in the first place is half the battle. 

“First of all they have to overcome the fear of coming into an environment like this, because some of them have preconceived notions that everyone that works out is already buff,” Tofinetti said. “So a lot of them will sit on the couch or do something else before they actually start a gym membership.

“But in order for them to stay with it, though, we say to everybody that it’s not easy. There’s a lot of things that go on, aside from the exercise.”

Taking a long hard look at diet, and making alterations where necessary, will help potential first-time exercisers shed those unwanted pounds.

“If they can stick to something like that away from the gym, they’ll start seeing results in here. And once they start seeing a little in terms of results, then they’ll stick to it.”

For Laura Daniele, life at the gym has been an on-and-off affair for the past decade, probably more on now than off, she said.
She recommended finding a way to make working out convenient. She chose a gym that was close to her office.

For her it was mental. She started feeling stronger and better, which led to happiness and body awareness. It helped that she had a couple of other motivating factors.

“I like to eat, so I have to do something to burn it. Your clothes fit better. And then there’s the social aspect where there’s a few people here that we motivate each other to be here. Then I know I’m going to come here and see the girls that work over at the other office. It’s just a little bit of a social time and it just keeps me strong.

“It’s not so much being skinny. But I’m over 50 now and I think that’s really important.”