Resolutions and how to keep to them

EAGLE RIVER — For better or worse, we all make New Year’s Resolutions, and the most common of these is among the toughest to keep — getting in, and staying in, shape.

To us, these promises usually seem somehow unique and special to us, but health and fitness clubs around the world, and right here in Alaska, have seen these millions upon millions of epiphanies coming for months.

“Obviously in the fitness industry, January is the biggest month of people coming back to meet their fitness goals,” said Tina Day, Director of Marketing for the Alaska Club, the state’s largest chain of health clubs with 14 locations, including one in Wasilla, one in Palmer, another in Eagle River and seven more in Anchorage. “So we not only offer special deals to make it easier, we have staffed fitness consultants at all of our locations so we can walk through an individualized plan… It varies person by person.”

Getting in the gym door, especially under the encouragement of trial memberships common to this time of year, is the easy part. Keeping the customer, and, more importantly, keeping the customer motivated and faithful to their resolution is the challenge.

That’s where Carmen Jacobson, personal trainer and manager at the Alaska Club comes in.

“I’d definitely say it’s about accountability — especially around the new year,” Jacobson said. “We see a big rush of people in January, but by March, it’s back to normal again, so it’s about keeping people engaged and continuing to come in. It’s accountability, but it’s also doing other things within the club, getting connected within the club.”

For many members, Jacobson said, that involves taking classes to heighten both accountability and connection to fellow travelers.

“We encourage all people to take part in classes,” she said. “The more variety you do, the better off you’ll be fitness-wise… I do think that people tend to stay a little longer when they’re connected to a specific person in the club.”

Jacobson said that while trainers appreciate the gusto many new year’s declarers bring to their first workout, it’s important to put their goals into perspective, too.

“Occasionally you’ll see people who say, ‘I’m gonna work out four hours a day, seven days a week and lose 100 pounds in the next few months,’” she said. “Well, that’s great, but it’s not exactly realistic, so you have to educate and teach health-wise.”

That education process isn’t only about exercise; it’s about diet, too.

“The first thing is to make a routine, get in a routine and start right away,” Jacobson said. “It doesn’t have to be anything drastic, just start tracking food with a food tracking app. Then you have to have them get to the gym on a regular basis to start with, and once you’ve created a routine, you can get a little more indepth.”

Alaska is unlike the rest of the United States in that its winters are so devoid of light. Mix that with often freezing temperatures that can make even outdoor sporting activities unpleasant, and the gym becomes quite an oasis for yet another reason this time of year.

“People have a hard time in Alaska this time of year. You don’t get the release of endorphins as much; you’re not as active outside,” Jacobson said. “Personally, I don’t do any winter sports — working out in the gym everyday is my sport… but we get a lot of skiers and snowboarders hitting the gym. We have ellipticals that simulate ice skating or skiing, rowing machines — all that equipment is beneficial and a lot of skiiers use our pool because it’s a good crossover.”