Brock Press

Issue date: 1/6/09 Section: Health

Media Credit: Dario Ayala

The beginning of a new year is a time when people reflect on the past 12 months and decide what they would like to work on or improve during the following year.

For many, the resolutions they make are to improve their physical health; for fitness centres, dieticians and other health professionals and institutions, this is the busiest time of year. They offer discounts and promotions, most often with year-long contracts, in the hope that people with high hopes and ambitions for the new year won't be as dedicated as they has planned but will still be locked into a contract.

The most common health-related new year's resolutions are to lose weight and improve physical fitness as well as to quit smoking. There are also several popular resolutions aimed at improving mental health such as reducing stress, finding a new job, volunteering and spending more time with family and friends.

One thing all resolutions have in common is that they take effort and dedication; if they were easy, they wouldn't need to become a resolution.

"My new year's resolution is to start going to the gym on a regular basis - about three times a week," said Brad Cheester, a second year Business Communications student at Brock. "I hardly used my membership to the Zone at all last semester," he said.

Brad isn't alone in his quest to use his Zone membership more often during the second half of the school.

"I want to get to the gym more," said Tanya Stanita, a second year biology student. "I went for the first few weeks of last semester then lost it."

The time required to read all the chapters and write all the papers that come along with university studies - not to mention working a part-time job and trying to carry on some sort of social life - make finding time to work out difficult for even the most dedicated health-nut.

People begin with good intentions, and even though those intentions may not falter, the outside factors, such as school work, get in the way of sticking to most resolutions.

However, there are things you can do to increase your chances of sticking to your plan. If your resolution is to start going to the gym, make a reasonable schedule with the days and times you are going to go. Try not to schedule workouts for mornings if you usually go out the night before, such as Friday mornings. Once you miss one workout, it can put you in the mindset that it's okay to miss a workout or two. Before you know it, you'll only be in the gym once a week, if at all.

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