All this week, we will will finish up #healthyholidays by debunking some myths around New Year’s Resolutions.
Myth: “You should join a gym to lose weight**.
Fact: Physical activity is essential for many aspects of health, but joining a gym isn’t right for everyone. And the role between physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight is still not completely understood.**
Here are some of questions I ask my patients when we working through joining a gym to add or increase physical activity:
1. Do you like the gym? Visit a few and see how they make you feel. I have patients who intensely dislike gyms or feel too self-conscious when they go. They join, but they hate going (and end up not goign often or at all).
2. Can you afford it? Find on in your budget.
3. Can you actually get there? Look at hours, transport, and location. Is it next to your place of work? Bus or parking? Is it open early or late, if that’s what you need?
4. Classes or no? Many of my patients love classes; others prefer their own pace.
5. What’s your goal? Physical activity is essential for health. Adding or increasing your physical activity – in a gym or not – should be for gaining health, NOT losing weight. Just some of the goals include reducing cholesterol or blood pressure, maintaining bone or joint health, healthy aging, improving sleep or mood, reducing anxiety…
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