Jazzercise News Releases

Resolution to Workout Not Working Out?

Tips for Overcoming Five Common Routine Busters

CARLSBAD, Calif. (January 28, 2004) – Nearly half of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions will fail within the first month, but falling off the fitness wagon doesn’t have to spell defeat, according to Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise founder and CEO. Whether motivation, time or lifestyle impedes the road to a healthier year, Missett offers a few practical solutions to rekindle resolutions and combat the most common barriers to regular exercise.

1. I’m Not Seeing Any Results
Few things halt a fitness resolution faster than a perceived lack of progress, which is why Missett emphasizes the importance of matching an exercise regimen to specific fitness goals.

“Each type of exercise will yield different results,” Missett says, “so it’s important to find one that closely supports your goals. Someone who wants to tighten and improve muscle tone won’t reap the greatest benefits from a purely aerobic exercise. On the other hand, someone with an already toned physique who wants to build endurance won’t achieve that goal through weight lifting alone.”

Talk to a fitness professional who can help identify both short- and long-term goals and recommend an appropriate regimen to work toward achieving them. Many exercise programs, like Jazzercise, now offer a wide variety of formats and routines from low-impact to body sculpting to circuit training, to help reach even the most varied fitness goals.

2. I Feel Self Conscious
For people who’ve been away too long, entering a gym of buff bodies is enough to send even the most determined resolvers fleeing to more hospitable ground. To get started on the right foot, the workout environment must first be comfortable.

“It’s natural to want to be part of the latest fitness trend or the hip, new gym,” Missett says, “but if you’re intimidated just by walking in the door, it doesn’t bode well for your long-term success.”
She recommends researching and visiting a variety of programs to find a good fit, and points to group fitness as one way to find support through peers striving for similar goals.

In her own classes, which tend to attract women of all fitness levels, Missett says there generally are no mirrors to help diminish competition and de-emphasize appearance.

3. But Who Will Watch the Kids?
Between work, family and household obligations, moms rarely get time to themselves, not to mention time for exercise. The good news, Missett says, is that more exercise facilities now offer on-site childcare, allowing moms to fit in a workout without guilt or worry.

Parents with children older than 6 years can also make time for exercise by sharing a workout with their kids. By finding an activity suitable for both kids and adults, parents can easily find both fitness and quality family time.

4. There’s Not Enough Time
Missett is quick to point out that not every workout has to last an hour or be strenuous to be beneficial. “The most important thing,” she says, “is staying active, regardless of what you do.”

Apart from looking for activities that will always fit a busy schedule, like walking, Missett recommends scheduling workouts like every other important appointment. Positioning exercise as another required engagement will decrease the chances of skipping out.

Missett also points to fitness videos and DVDs as one workout option that fits even the busiest schedules. The variety of ready-when-you-are workouts makes it possible to fit in exercise whenever there is free time. In fact, to meet demand among its participants, Missett’s own Jazzercise released four new DVD titles within the last year, including “Body Sculpt & Strength,” and “Street Jazz!,” a hip-hop based routine.

5. I Just Can’t Stay Motivated
“As one of the biggest hurdles to any fitness program, it has almost become a cliché,” Missett says, “but finding ways to maintain motivation is a challenge even for us professionals. The key is finding an activity you really enjoy.”

Missett has found previous success in gathering a few friends or family members to join a group fitness class together. She says that in addition to being more fun, the group accountability helps to kindle motivation.

Missett also advocates working toward a specific fitness event. Whether it is as simple as a charity walk or as grand as a marathon, the short-term goal can help spark a long-term path to fitness. Some fitness programs even offer weekend-long fitness retreats, like Jazzercise’s Fitness Series, packed full of workouts, activities and guest speakers.

Above all, in her 35 years of advancing a healthy lifestyle, Missett has found the most important aspect of sticking with a New Year’s resolution is being realistic. “Many people are searching for instant gratification with the least amount of work,” Missett says. “But changing your lifestyle is a challenging process. It takes time, and there will likely be stumbling blocks along the way. It’s important to remember whether you’re just feeling sluggish or have lost your resolve altogether, it’s never too late to get back into a fitness routine.”

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Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 30,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information, go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT.