It’s the most wonderful time of the year when all those bad habits and indulgences catch up to us and creep into our consciences that it’s time to start doing something about it.
The dawn of a new year always brings aspirations for new beginnings, but most efforts won’t last long.
What people need is to take inspiration from others who’ve managed to buck the trend of supposedly starting fresh every Jan. 1 and maintained a training regimen throughout the year.
There are many examples at Chemainus’ Anytime Fitness, covering a variety of age groups so no one needs to feel intimated about being out of a place. There’s a place for everyone.
From Michael Wik, 22, and Becca Johnson, 30, to Karen Shook, 68, and Vern Shook, 77, they’ve all managed to stay on course with their exercise and nutrition regardless of the date showing on the calendar.
Anyone can start on the right path at any time, it just requires some dedication and willpower to make it part of daily life.
“A big part of it is a lot of people have a lot of fear of where they are in their own lives,” said Anytime Fitness general manager Nicole Cournoyer.
“When people do make that leap, it’s really nice to see, especially when they persevere and get the results they’re looking for. It can be something as simple as trying out a challenge and see if that works. That’s how you find what you like. Once you find what you like, it doesn’t feel like work.
“It’s OK to have trial and error. It’s not a waste of time and money. If you don’t try, you’re never going to make any kind of gain.”