Harsh on resolutioners....
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I have absolutely no problem with people who have started dieting or working out due to resolutions. Everybody starts somewhere and people who have been at the gym for awhile need to learn that flexibility is more than going to yoga class. Learn variations of your exercises using different equipment, pick different cardio machines, change your schedule a bit. The resolutioners show up every year and you can either whine about it or work around it.5
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Every year there will be people making resolutions to start dieting and exercising. Some will stick with it and some won’t. I was one of those that started 6 years ago and stuck with it. We all have to start somewhere. I am cheering them on even though it’s mildly annoying when they clog the trails & parking lots because I know that sadly most of them will not keep at it and will be done showing up around February. As far as the crazy diets go, they will find out sooner or later that they usually don’t work long-term and hopefully find their way to MFP or other forms of calorie counting which does actually work.0
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There are a few self-centered jerks in every crowd, right? That doesn't make it a crowd of self-centered jerks.
Truthfully, I think some fraction of it is just frustrated venting: Some people's circles of friends/family go through an annual cycle of over-enthusiastic January 1 resolutions, click-bait driven strategies, and relatively speedy bail-out, only for some of the very same people to repeat the very same cycle the next year.
If those "some people" are folks who've been successful at weight loss and/or fitness themselves, and have tried to gently give genuine helpful advice (which often is dissonant with the clickbait), and have been rebuffed (sometimes rudely), that can exacerbate the situation.
They may see their gym get crowded for a month every year with starry-eyed people who make their workout a tiny bit more time-consuming or something, and be blowing off steam online in order to save their energy to be friendly and welcoming in person at the gym (one can hope, right? ).
When we vent frustrations (of any sort) on social media, it's common to imagine that we're talking to the like-minded, and not to realize the effect on others who are in a different place. (If I could stop people posting the literal words "Family is what makes life worthwhile" on Facebook at Christmas right in front of people who've just lost immediate family, and are depressed/grieving/maybe suicidal . . . or complaining about stupid trivial things their spouse did, in front of recent widow(ers) . . . !) This is not people showing cruelty or intentional harshness, it's just a common and natural form of unaware thoughtlessness. We implicitly think others think about things like we do.
So, some of it is frustrated venting. Some of it is not thinking through that the whole audience is not in the same place we are. And some of it is a few people being actual jerks.
Just my opinion.
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I’ve been on MFP for three years. So this doesn’t really pertain to me but I’ve noticed something. On my newsfeed with my friends and my FB, there are a lot of comments about the newbies coming in for January. Comments about how the forums and gyms will be overrun with “new year, new me” people and it’s annoying. Of course resolutions don’t always stick but it really could be the year someone makes a serious life changed forever. Its never bothered me.I guess I don’t really understand the hostility. (Not from all, but many.) Thoughts? Does it bug you?
As someone who has spent a lot of time (far too much!) on these forums, there is definitely a certain amount of "Oh geez, brace yourself, it's January again!". But it's not hostility pointed at specific individuals. It's more knowing there will be a ton more volume, and repeated questions and answers, and newbies who have just read all the woo on the internet and are going to drag it all in here
It can be a bit of a challenge, being pulled between wanting to help everyone, and reaching the limit of how many times you can tell people to read the stickies! But I think it's really important to not carry that attitude into the space where all these newbies are, and back away when you've reached your limit, because mixed in with all the people who will be here for a month trying crazy things, telling us we don't know the truth, and then wandering off, are the handful of people who will actually get it this year. I guess some of your friends felt comfortable enough to vent in their newsfeed, but I personally wouldn't have done that because I have some new friends.
I have always disliked NY resolutions in general. I know too many people who make the same resolution every year, never give much thought to HOW, make a huge deal out of it, then forget about it by Jan 31. But I'm not a joiner, and tend to get annoyed by people who do stuff just because everyone else does. My problem, not theirs, for sure.
It's not really hostility most of the time. Just humorous annoyance, something to small talk about instead of the weather.13 -
monkeefan1974 wrote: »Every year there will be people making resolutions to start dieting and exercising. Some will stick with it and some won’t. I was one of those that started 6 years ago and stuck with it. We all have to start somewhere. I am cheering them on even though it’s mildly annoying when they clog the trails & parking lots because I know that sadly most of them will not keep at it and will be done showing up around February. As far as the crazy diets go, they will find out sooner or later that they usually don’t work long-term and hopefully find their way to MFP or other forms of calorie counting which does actually work.
I agree with you 100%
Doesn’t bother me one bit. I was one of those that gave up more times than you can imagine. A lot of people give up on their resolutions early in the year, but there will be some that keep at it, and I am totally happy for them!1 -
I agree, and in my old gym there was a 25 min cardio equipment rule when other people are waiting for the machines to deal with issues like that. As long as they get off the machine in 25 min, they did their bit and I don't really care what they do with the machine for that time.eatingfoodles wrote: »There are annoying know-it-all resolutioners, but there's a fair number of annoying know-it-all year-round gym-goers too, some of who somehow feel more entitled to the space despite paying the same fees as everyone else.
I get this. My post above came off a little like I'd be entitled, but I just don't enjoy the ones that don't consider the people around them. If you've been walking on 2.0mph for 45 minutes and you can see the gym is packed, maybe it's time to give the treadmill up. I'd also never demand someone move from a machine/area just because "I've been coming here longer".
Definitely seen both happen. We should all be aware of our surroundings and try to be considerate of others.
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Since January is the start of the New Year and the end of the holidays, I think people are prone to reset the calendar and their goals for the new year. Even if a person last a month into their fitness goal that's better than nothing. For some, they will drop off due to discouragement or discipline, others will see improvement or just feel better and it will keep them on track for the next day, and the next, until its part of their daily habit. It never bothers me to see new faces when I am working out and I encourage any one to be supportive and helpful to the newbies.
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I agree, and in my old gym there was a 25 min cardio equipment rule when other people are waiting for the machines to deal with issues like that. As long as they get off the machine in 25 min, they did their bit and I don't really care what they do with the machine for that time.eatingfoodles wrote: »There are annoying know-it-all resolutioners, but there's a fair number of annoying know-it-all year-round gym-goers too, some of who somehow feel more entitled to the space despite paying the same fees as everyone else.
I get this. My post above came off a little like I'd be entitled, but I just don't enjoy the ones that don't consider the people around them. If you've been walking on 2.0mph for 45 minutes and you can see the gym is packed, maybe it's time to give the treadmill up. I'd also never demand someone move from a machine/area just because "I've been coming here longer".
Definitely seen both happen. We should all be aware of our surroundings and try to be considerate of others.
If people did that, we'd be golden. I wish we could get a half hour rule started here.1 -
I see most of this as venting in anticipation....similar to shopping around the holidays. I've been in gyms most of my life and have never seen anything close to intimidation. On the forums its more frustration at battling the massive amounts of misinformation and woo.
I was never much of a resolutioner. The simple fact that so many would start at the most populated time of the year likely discourages more than it encourages.
Personally I love them. Keeps my membership payments low.4 -
Some people are just grumpy about crowds and their anger against resolutioners is misplaced frustration about something nobody (except maybe the gym owners themselves) can fix.
I'm grumpy about crowds (although I can vary my timing and avoid them), but that's not the same as being angry at the resolutioners themselves.
As I said in another thread, I see it as being similar to being annoyed at the crowds if I have to go to crowded store in December -- it's annoying, but I'm not blaming the others there or taking it out on them.
I don't think venting about the resolution phenomenon or crowds = being mean to individuals.5 -
I'm happy for the ones that are serious about seeing their plans through, but the frustrating stereotypes exist for a reason. A lot of us probably know people that are suddenly gungho about making major sweeping changes simply because it's Jan 1, maybe give things a whirl for a few days or a couple of weeks (possibly being obnoxious know-it-alls the whole time) then just as suddenly revert to their old habits and complaining about how they wish they could lose weight, etc. Every year.
Run into that often enough and it's hard to only think kind thoughts about people starting their changes this time of year.
A huge influx of new people, most of which aren't serious about change, taking up all of the equipment, being inconsiderate, maybe spouting woo while they're at it... Yeah, I get the frustration. Regardless, I try to wish everyone the best and hope they've found what they need to make progress, and I'm very glad that I can just work out at home for now.5 -
it doesnt bother me because i live in a tiny town with a tiny gym and never see any new people lol
i do however have old people who want me to join in their social hour over fox news which i am desperately trying to tune out with my headphones. but thats year round LMAO
i will say, the influx of new that quickly left, when I was in a larger area was slightly annoying. but... some stayed (not many), most left after a few weeks. whatever. i do me, they do them.2 -
It doesn't bother me, but I know one thing is for sure - whatever it takes to motivate someone is ok with me. Be it a new year, a new week, a new month, or a new day. Some people just need that feeling of being able to start over fresh and clean. Do you.0
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Yes it bugs me to no end seeing people wanting to make a positive change in themselves. *sarcasm*
I do get a little irked with people who purposely wait till the new year to make the changes and either continue their usualy excessive bad habits up until the very end, usually excessively and then cut myself off completely. More often than not I feel those are the ones who fail their resolutions rather than someone who decides to make gradual small changes.1 -
I’ve been on MFP for three years. So this doesn’t really pertain to me but I’ve noticed something. On my newsfeed with my friends and my FB, there are a lot of comments about the newbies coming in for January. Comments about how the forums and gyms will be overrun with “new year, new me” people and it’s annoying. Of course resolutions don’t always stick but it really could be the year someone makes a serious life changed forever. Its never bothered me.I guess I don’t really understand the hostility. (Not from all, but many.) Thoughts? Does it bug you?
Maybe it's a reflection on the kinds of people you have let into your news feed.2 -
I was a resolutioner myself back in the day, so I get it. What gets me is sorting through an extra heaping helping of woo and snowflakes for the first three months of every year in the forums. It's ok, though, we're all properly braced for it.1
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I made a new years resolution this year. First year that I have, and I've made it to myself, and not shared it with anybody. You guys can probably guess what it is, as I'm here, but I don't feel the need to shout about to my friends or facebook. I guess people that do shout about it on facebook either do it for validation, or motivation, or support, who knows. People are quick to judge though.2
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Resolution=none!!!!!!!0
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I'm not bothered by people starting exercise or diets in January. They may or may not stick with it just like someone who starts in September or April. I don't go to a gym so I'm not competing for time or resources with anyone.
I think new year resolutioners are better to deal with than people who think they are going to lose 20 lbs a few weeks before going on vacation or their wedding day.3 -
Just to point out as well - folks may just be generally crabby. Post-holiday letdown, maybe kids are still on break and driving them nuts...and you go the gym and have a hard time getting to use equipment or take classes. It adds up.2
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