麻豆传媒映画School Board employee Dana Mason is one of the many Vancouverites who are using the start of the New Year to get re-motivated at city gyms.
About 18 months ago Mason, 40, said she noticed she was lacking energy and felt unhappy with her body. She hired a trainer to set up a personalized meal plan and to work out with her twice a week at the gym in her East 麻豆传媒映画condo complex.
She said her initial enthusiasm paid off. She lost 15 pounds in the first few months and ran her first 10k鈥� a feat she never imagined she would accomplish. Last May, the well-travelled Mason went on vacation to Cuba and for the first time in her life felt proud of her more athletic body.
鈥淪elf-esteem is probably the biggest thing,鈥� she said.
Back at home though, as the months wore on and 2014 approached, Mason said she started to slack off, and noticed five pounds had returned. On her next trip, to Mexico, she felt self-conscious and covered up once again.
For the new year, she has vowed to redouble her efforts by hitting the gym harder, entering more runs and to be more diligent in watching what she eats.
When contacted by the Courier, three of Vancouver鈥檚 fitness centres, said they see a definite New Year鈥檚 resolution boost to memberships in January.
According to Chris Smith, vice-president of sales and fitness at the Steve Nash Sports Clubs, the six Nash gyms in 麻豆传媒映画see a 20 to 25 per cent uptick in January.
Each of the Nash clubs offers 250 classes a month and memberships are from $35-$70 a month.
She鈥檚 Fit!, which is located within the Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness club at Canada Place, caters to an all female customer base.
President and CEO Chuck Lawson said the club sees a 10 per cent increase at the start of the year. Business is steady throughout the year, unlike in co-ed clubs where the new year sees a greater influx of new members, he said.
The club offers four or five classes a day, circuit training, and weights room. The downtown location has a bike rental business as well so members can leave the gym to workout when the weather improves.
Memberships at She鈥檚 Fit! are approximately $15-$25 a month.
Chris Rumary, program manager at the Robert Lee location of the not-for-profit YMCA, said they also see about a 10 per cent increase in memberships at this time of year.
All of the YMCA locations have a January promotion, which he said encourages people to follow through on their resolutions. The Robert Lee location offers 110 classes a week taught by volunteers, a weight room and pool. The all-inclusive adult membership is about $60 a month.
None of the club representatives said how many of the new memberships are sustained throughout the year, but a University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology report found less than 50 per cent of people ultimately keep their New Year鈥檚 resolutions.
The key to sticking with fitness plans depends on the reason people start in the first place, Rumary said. 聽
People who are doing it to meet people and enjoy their bodies more are likely to be successful. 鈥�
Those people get addicted and keep coming back,鈥� he said.
