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Article: "Why 90% of You Will Quit the Gym in Early 2017"

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Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,488 Member
    As a trainer in the gym for likely as long as the author, I can agree with SOME of his advice. But what I've found is the one main reason people quit the gym after joining is because they weren't MENTALLY prepared to make the change in the first place.
    Sure people had the desire, want, etc., but that's not the same as sitting down and making a commitment to it and putting a personal plan together WELL BEFORE initiating it. Most people that start on January 1 just wing it and hope they stick. That's like of like a ship without a rudder. You wander aimlessly and occasionally hit land.
    I pretty blunt with resolutioners when I get them as a client. Fortunately for me I only lose 1 out of 4 which really isn't bad considering most resolutioners quit right around the end February now in my observation.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • evilpoptart63
    evilpoptart63 Posts: 397 Member
    I'm generally going to disagree to most of it, especially the reason most people fail. A few points to sticking to it seem pretty solid (like not jumping into it so fast you get burnt out and not forcing yourself to do something you hate.) But I think long term adherence needs to come from intrinsic motivation. Even if you have a workout buddy or community, if your drive dies out and your instant gratification becomes more important than long term goals, Its easy to make up excuses. I think it helps to start when someone is fully ready to commit instead of just doing it to improve because a certain date hits the calendar.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,974 Member
    edited December 2017
    Can't read the article; don't want to join Linkedin. But I will NEVER quit my gym.

    Why?

    1) My main gym is at home and I'm not leaving home.

    2) I have a FREE gym membership to a public gym under Medicare Plus coverage and there's no reason to give up anything that's free.

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Interesting article, but completely incorrect in my case. I resolved on New Year's 2017 to get my diabetes under control and no longer be obese by my birthday in June, and started working out at home, with no social connections involved. In fact, social connection was the last thing I wanted, since most of my friends are yo-yo dieters and serial gym quitters with a long history of failure. The last thing I needed was to learn to do what they knew how to do - fail at losing weight and getting in shape.

    By my birthday, I had succeeded in my resolution - reaching "overweight" and having an A1c within normal levels. Today I am normal weight, go to a gym regularly, and just ran a 5k yesterday. The gym offers a free session with a trainer but I have never used it - after looking into what their trainers do, it's a lot of garbage involving various machines, and I prefer free weights. I go at 2 - 4 am when the only people there are other people who are serious about what they do, and we don't talk much except to say, "Are you still using that? Could you let me know when you're done with it?"

    I'm pretty sure that associating with a bunch of people in classes and being expected to put up with a trainer would have made me quit long ago.
  • pogiguy05
    pogiguy05 Posts: 1,583 Member
    Carl_Carlson wrote: »
    We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.

    42ginbg0lkvl.jpg

    Can anyone tell me why people use this legs machine this way? In the past I have had bad issues with lower back pain and when I see this I am shaking my head even if I am not physically doing it.

    I have had gym memberships for so long and I have been on again off again. The first month is the hardest for you to get into that gym rhythm.

    Now you have reminded me of what is to come at my gym. There is going to be so many people for the first 3 months, but hang in there they will fade away.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Ironandwine69 wrote: »
    All I know is that I'm not looking forward to the crowded gym in January.

    I used to think like this, but love all the newcomers. Keeps my rates down.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    "That’s it. You just need one thing and it is social connections."
    Cobblers!
    Guess that's why I'm one of the 10% not the (fictitious) 90% as I don't need social connections at all - my exercise is for me, I enjoy it and the results it gives me.
    When I'm choosing a gym my criteria are location, facilities and price - the only people consideration is how busy they are which might prevent me using the facilities.

    I nearly always train alone and have done for last 40 years, nearly always cycle alone and will probably do 300 hours of cycling this year. Once in a while I cycle with friends and that's fun but I also enjoy the solitude of solo rides.[/list]

    Heavily concur. I've run 2200 miles so far this year and biked about 700. Out of that, about 200 miles were not run alone, and 170 of that was because I was in a race. A nice group run with folks who run at a similar pace is a nice break sometimes, but for the most part, I run because I enjoy it and the results. Plus I like food. Some ice cream or a dinner out to Mexican is a nice reward for my long run, but I make the reward in line with my effort and fit in my overall nutrition goals. Where people get in trouble is thinking a sleeve of Oreos is a balanced reward for their 3 mile run.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    All I know is I started going to the Y in August, go at 5:30 and, while there, have spoken socially to my neighbor and one women with her foot in a cast.

    I don't need or want the social aspect at 5:30 in the morning. I want to get in, get done and get home so I can still be at work at 7.
  • astronaught
    astronaught Posts: 103 Member
    counting_kilojoules wrote: »
    When I was going I went for an hour, five days a week. Twenty to thirty minutes wouldn't have felt worth the drive to get there.

    That is why location is so important. My gym is a 9 minute walk or a 5 minute drive (lots of stop signs and drunk tourists to avoid). So even when I don't feel like going to the gym, I go anyway. If I only work out 20 or 30 minutes, that is 20 or 30 more minutes than I would have worked out at home. On those days where the weather is nice it is an extra 2 km of walking.

  • cbohling1987
    cbohling1987 Posts: 99 Member
    This article is a pretty clear case of "well this works for me, so it must be what works for everybody! (Because I'm too narrow-minded to consider that not everyone copes with things the same way as me.)"

    That said, for me social connections totally was the key - I never stuck with a workout plan until I started attending the same gym as a couple of my friends. However I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to assume that this is what will work for everybody.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,135 Member
    Carl_Carlson wrote: »
    We see this every year. There is a surge of new gym attendees every January. New faces everywhere using equipment as a kind of lounge furniture and impeding the flow of people wanting to get a meaningful workout. Groups misusing and abusing expensive equipment, like using the power racks to squat with "weights" that are so light the user must actually pull the weights down to overcome friction to get the rack to return to the down position. This is entertaining for only a short time. Then, as if by some act of providence, they disappear on or about the second week of February. Hang in there, just bite the bullet for a few weeks and these people will disappear.

    42ginbg0lkvl.jpg

    I hope that the lady gave you permission to photograph her rear end....
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
    It seems that the group consensus is that this article is not in line with how most of the posters feel. But keep in mind you are almost all experienced and well into your gym routine for years now. But when you were a beginner with little experience and no routine were your thoughts the same as now?

    I am a newer gym goer (as of Oct 1) so just over 2 months. But what got me completely committed was the stat itself that only 10% would make it. The stat I had heard for my area was even worse. I did not want to be one of those quitters. That number was the kick in the butt I needed. I guess everyone has their own motivation and what works for 1 does not works for all.

    I started my first gym visit with a zumba class and could hardly wait for the next class 2 days later. Then I tried bodypump and bootcamp. For me I felt like I belonged when people introduced themselves and used my name. However I am 46 with little other social interaction outside of work.

    I have gone to the gym alone and used equipment and got so bored. I much prefer to head outside for a walk.
    Morale of the story: we are all different!

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