Feature Stories - January 2002

Hangin’ Out at the Gym

Expert Advice on Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

by Kathleen Foley

The average American adult gains eight pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to Craig Lamour, health and fitness director at Double Diamond Athletic Club in Reno. Add to that all the breakfast meetings, cocktail parties and power lunches an executive enjoys during the course of the year, candy bars eaten to offset workplace stress and the cruise taken to reconnect with a neglected spouse, and it’s easy to imagine that many of our readers have made New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight and get back in shape. "The places where we work have also made resolutions," warned Misty Chadwick, general manager of The Sports Club in Green Valley. "Their resolutions to increase their bottom line or streamline operations can have a negative impact on us, because they can lead to increased stress and overwork."

Kevin Steele, PhD, national vice president of health services for 24-Hour Fitness, reported that exercise can have both physical and psychological benefits for businesspeople. "Regular exercise provides a natural outlet for stress," said Steele. "Because of increased circulation to the brain, it also leads to an enhanced clarity of thought that can improve job performance and increase productivity. It boosts the immune system so you avoid losing workdays to illness. In addition, when you start to feel stronger and look better, you become more self-confident, which can certainly affect your work in a positive way."

Steele said the first step toward fitness for anyone who has not been exercising regularly is to get a physical examination to make sure no underlying medical conditions need to be treated. Next, choose a facility that matches your interests and is convenient. Most fitness clubs now feature much more than barbells and treadmills. Even Gold’s Gym, which started the workout movement at its Venice Beach location in 1965, has developed into a fitness franchise whose clubs feature juice bars, tanning beds, childcare and saunas. "You don’t have to be a musclehead to come here," said Shane Poirier, manager of the Gold’s in Green Valley. "We have something for everyone in the family." According to Chadwick, location is not the only determining factor in deciding which club to join. "You need to find a place where you feel comfortable and have a sense of fitting in," she said. "Some questions to ask would be, ‘Are there other people my age there? Would I feel intimidated? Do they have the types of activities I like at times that are convenient for me?’"

Once these questions have been answered to your satisfaction and you join a club, experts agree it is wise to consult a personal trainer to customize a workout program and diet for you. Most clubs provide at least one free session with a trainer. Chadwick suggested people check a trainer’s credentials to find out if he or she has a degree or certification from a national organization. "First and foremost," she said, "The trainer’s job is to make sure you are safe. He or she will get a doctor’s clearance if necessary, and will design a program that doesn’t do too much too soon. Many people who are in a hurry to get back in shape end up hurting themselves through overdoing exercise, or get discouraged because they can’t keep up with the rigorous routine they have set for themselves. It’s much smarter to set up a step-by-step program that will ensure gradual and steady success."

There are other advantages to using a personal trainer, said Tammy O’Brien, membership director for the Lakeridge Tennis Club in Reno. "Getting expert advice maximizes the benefits of the time you spend in the gym," she said. "In addition, if you have made a commitment to the trainer to work out together at a particular time, you’re more likely to show up, which helps develop the habit of going to the gym on a regular basis." Double Diamond’s Lamour said a trainer can also tell a client when it’s time to change an exercise program. "Many people reach a plateau after eight to 12 weeks of exercising," he said. "The body adjusts to the demands you put on it, and you stop seeing any visible benefits such as weight loss. A trainer can advise you how to vary your routine to increase your effectiveness and get off the plateau."

How can busy executives find time for a fitness program when their lives are already overbooked? Lamour commented, "We all have 168 hours each week. It’s important to ask yourself how important your health is, to decide what time commitment you will make to it, and to find ways to stick to that commitment. Schedule your fitness into your calendar first instead of last." O’Brien agreed. "No one has free time - you just have to make time." She also pointed out that real fitness requires a long-term lifestyle change that replaces bad habits with good ones. "Executives know that nothing happens overnight in the business world," she said. "The same is true for changing your health."

Many fitness centers have registered dieticians on staff to advise clients, and others follow the guidelines of nationally approved programs. "You can’t fight the basic laws of thermodynamics," said Lamour. "Maintaining your weight is an energy-in, energy-out equation. If you’re taking in more energy (in the form of calories) than you’re putting out in exercise, the difference is going to be stored as extra weight." Double Diamond Athletic Club follows the Apex Fitness System, which analyses a client’s diet and makes suggestions on how to achieve an ideal balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Some benefits can be gained just by changing eating times or adjusting portion size.

"Most fad diets are set up to fail," said Lamour. "Will power only carries you so far – the key is to make a habit of healthy eating." Chadwick suggests clients be realistic about making changes to the bad eating habits they have acquired over a lifetime. "If you’re a real sugar junky, it doesn’t make sense to say you’re going to eliminate all sweets for the rest of your life," she said. "You have a much better chance for success if you cut down slowly. I think of it as a 12-step program, progressing over the course of a year. If you decide to make certain changes in January and stick with them, you can add more changes in February, etc. Along the way, reward yourself for your successes. At the end of the year, your habits will have changed a great deal, and these new habits will be more likely to be permanent ones."

Steele reported that 24-Hour Fitness maintains reciprocal relationships with chiropractors, family practice doctors, internists and physical therapists to ensure a continuum of care. "Most people going to visit an internal medicine specialist have at least one of four major disorders: obesity, hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease," said Steele. "Doctors realize exercise and eating habits have a significant impact on all these problems, so they may write a prescription for their patients, advising them to see us about making changes that will improve their health. We coordinate closely with doctors and make sure we’re following a program that will be best for their patients. Some insurance companies even pay for people to go through a fitness program, realizing that it’s a cost effective treatment."

The long-term benefits of better fitness can be far-reaching. "It’s like tuning up your car so it will perform at an optimal level," said Steele. "Most people get up in the morning with a sore back or a headache or other minor problems. They have forgotten what it’s like to feel really good. Once you are operating at peak efficiency, you can work more effectively, your overall outlook on life is better and you are able to overcome life’s challenges."

Kathleen Foley
Kathleen Foley is a freelance writer based in Southern Nevada.