January is the month of new beginnings, aspirations and hope. No wonder many gyms across the country see a huge increase in gym goers turning up the day after the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. A shocking 12% of all gym sign-ups happen in January which reflects what we already know… January gym rush is a real phenomenon. So is it really helpful to year-round health decision making?
Joining a gym at the beginning of a year is a clever (and common) move among the health-conscious as it is a time to shake off the cobwebs of the Christmas period. Motivation is often at a high after a lazy few weeks of overeating, socialising and spending. However, most gym goers during January often go too hard and fast, which is a rookie mistake. Machines are likely to be misused increasing the likelihood of injury with people trying to get fast results, with no prior knowledge on warm ups, cool downs and the importance of rest. These unrealistic targets set in January may contribute to the fact that almost 50% of new gym members cancel their memberships by the end of January.
January is often bleak and dark. This is highlighted by ‘Blue Monday’ falling in the middle of the month, thought to be the most depressing day of the year! Not only that, social events occur less during this month following the bankruptcy that most people suffer after the expensive Christmas period. This is why January is a great time to implement habits that can be carried on throughout the year. When life returns to normal following the winter slump most people experience, the habits created during this first month are likely to be pretty concrete and implemented into a daily routine, reassuringly habits can be formed from as little as 18 days. This means that there may be a knock on effect for other decisions around health past the month of January which may be healthier. Working out while sleep deprived after a night out is never conducive to hitting PBs or even enjoying the exercise. Therefore, gym bunnies may be more likely to prioritise their sleep to ensure they get the most out of their sweat sessions. Improved sleep schedule will impact so many aspects of life positively such as mood and self-esteem. These attributes will likely result in healthier choices in food, friendship and where energy is allocated and to who.
In contrast, research shows that there is a correlation between people who are physically active and people who drink above average amounts of alcohol. This may be due to myths that circulate describing how to ‘sweat out’ hangovers to lessen the effects… This is not true. In reality, a hangover is shown to reduce aerobic performance by 11.4% the next day!
In addition, due to exercising, people may see alcohol as a ‘reward’ for a hard workout. Exercise is designed to keep people well physically and mentally. Working out to reap rewards and to ‘earn’ things actually proves to be a counter-intuitive mindset as it isn’t healthy to rely on exercise for any other reasons as exercise is then seen as a chore which definitely reduces the fun of it. Don’t believe the hype!
To summarise, the domino effect exercise has should not be undersung and unappreciated. Exercise creates holistic benefits which can be carried forward past January and the mindset of going to the gym to improve health can be extended to different challenges and decisions we all face daily. If we were looking to beat the January blues by starting a fitness journey (if you haven’t already) but don’t be hard on yourself if your gym rush is more a mid or end of the year situation!