Why Gym Memberships Fall in February
Do You Know Why Gym Memberships Fall in February?
There is a common scenario that plays out in gyms all over the world once every year; just why gym memberships fall in February.
Most gyms see a huge increase in membership attendance in January. The gyms are packed with people desperate to lose weight and make good on their New Year weight loss goals.
By end February, this number would have greatly dwindled and by end-March, most of the January crowd would have disappeared and things at the gyms would have returned to status quo.
What happened?
The answer is – most of the gym goers lost motivation and excitement. When the New Year descends upon us, there is a promise of a new beginning. Everything seems possible and people are excited to make positive changes in their lives.
So, they sign up for a gym and mistake this activity as actual work. Joining a gym is not going to make you lean or fit. Joining a gym is easy and fun.
Why Gym Memberships Fall in February
Actually, sweating it out and working your butt off at the gym is hard work. This is what makes you lose weight and it’s not that fun.
When people are faced with the mundane prospect of working out regularly, they lose interest because the promise that seemed so exciting in the beginning has become duller than a dirty bowling ball.
The hard truth is that weight loss takes time. It takes 90 days before the change in your body is visible to the point where everyone takes notice. Can you last those 90 days?
To last… you need to inculcate good habits. It’s these habits that will carry you to the finish line. Like motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, used to say, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
So, in order to make good on your New Year resolution, you must make a promise to yourself that you will develop the right habits. If you decide to go to the gym thrice a week, then you MUST go thrice a week. Making excuses will not cut it. If thrice a week is too much for you, then drop it two times a week.
Bite what you can chew. Small but consistent efforts are better than huge efforts that are irregular. The best way to stick to your weight loss goals will be to take things progressively.
If you’ve led a sedentary life for years, you don’t even need to sign up for a gym membership in January. All you need to do is go for a brisk walk daily and clean up your diet a little. See if you can stick to these small, progressive changes.
If you can, try incorporating bodyweight training in your exercise regimen. If you dedicated 3 months solely to bodyweight training at home, you could be just as lean and strong as people who go to the gym. Can you stick with it?
If you can, then you’ll definitely be ready to sign up at your local gym. You’ve proven that you’re consistent and you have the discipline to do what you say you’ll do. Gyms make their money from members who pay for an entire year but never show up after the second month. What a fantastic business for them.
You know better.
If you decided to lose weight at the beginning of the year and you feel like quitting or maybe have already quit, it’s time to get back on track and start forming the right habits. Focus on small, progressive changes that will take you to your goals. You can do it if you think you can.
