Got fitness resolutions? Here are some tips

Lisa Timpf

Advocate Contributor

A quick internet search on the topic of New Year’s resolutions suggests, depending on the source, that only nine to 30 per cent of people manage to stick with their plans. Often, resolutions are abandoned less than one month into the new year.

Fitness is an important activity for health promotion, so it’s unfortunate that the good intentions so many people start the year with fizzle out. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Local fitness instructors have some tips for how to be among those who keep, rather than break, their resolutions.

Susan Cuming, who instructs Qigong classes at the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre, noted that getting to a fitness class can be the hardest part. Having a workout buddy who also attends the class can provide the boost some people need to get out the door.

Qigong, says Cuming, is similar to Tai Chi, focusing on breathing, stretching, and meditative movement. It can be helpful with relaxation, and is meant to be done slowly. Still, when asked at the end of a period of a few weeks for examples of how the sessions have helped them, participants often fill a white board with a list of positives, whether it’s less joint pain, greater flexibility, or other factors. 

Qigong offers proof that fitness-improvement activities don’t have to be high-intensity and high-impact to have a positive impact. Cuming notes that it’s important not to focus on what you can’t do, but rather to “do what you can.” Qigong exercises can be adapted to people with varying levels of ability, and can even be done from a chair.

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Helen Lapointe, convener of one of the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre walkabout sessions, notes that when starting something new it’s important to begin slowly, and to recognize when you’ve had enough. Attendees at the Senior’s Centre walkabouts who don’t feel like they can walk the entire session are welcome to leave at any time.

“If you go too hard,” Lapointe says, “you won’t come back.”

She notes that forcing yourself to do exercise can be a recipe for failure. Having fun and enjoying what you’re doing is key. She suggests that people “try different things and find the thing that works.”

Like Cuming, Lapointe recognizes the value of having workout companions. Many of the walkabout participants enjoy the activity’s social aspect, and that’s one of the factors that brings them back.

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Marilyn Guindon leads line dancing sessions at the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre. Like Lapointe, she encourages beginners to start slowly and try not to get overwhelmed. Line dancing, Guindon notes, can be challenging.

“You’re listening to music, you’re tempted to watch your feet, there’s a lot going on.”

But if you stick with it, it will come together in time.

“Try to have some laughs and not be too serious with it,” she advises. While some people get self-conscious while exercising, “nobody’s looking at you,” Guindon notes. “Don’t be shy, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

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Fitness instructor, personal trainer, and nutrition coach Wanda Rowe leads strength training sessions at the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre. Her advice is to start with small goals.

“Commit to doing one thing, whether it’s drinking more water, or moving for 10 minutes after you eat. It doesn’t have to be a big change.”

Focusing on sustainable action, she says, is more important than coming up with a grandiose goal that you can’t meet.

Rowe says we need to realize our limitations. “I do a lot of work with people 40 and over. I remind them they need to work with where they are. You need to let your ego go. Leave the 30-year-old activities and intensity for the 30-year-olds.” She stresses the importance of acknowledging and working with your “now” body.”

When making a new habit, Rowe advises writing it down. “If you don’t have a plan written down, it’s still at the hopes-and-dreams level. Writing it down helps.”

Failing to meet your goals initially doesn’t mean you should give up, Rowe says.

“You can start again at any time. The next moment, the next hour, the next day - there’s always a reset button.”

Giving yourself grace, she adds, is key.

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Kim Dale, owner of Superior Workout Training Centre, located on Kent Street in Simcoe, also serves as a personal trainer. She echoes Rowe’s comments about the need to start small. A lot of people start the year and “go right at it five days a week, thinking they have to lift really heavy. Then they miss a few days and feel like, what’s the point?”

A better approach, says Dale, is to “get a foot in the door, create a nice simple routine, and start slowly.”

People don’t fail to keep their resolutions because they’re lazy, she says, but because they are unrealistic in their goals. January “puts a lot of pressure on people,” but real change “doesn’t have a deadline.”

“As a personal trainer, I don’t expect perfection. I’d rather have the person be honest with me if they’re feeling like they can’t do the full workout that day. We can adapt the workout.” Dale adds, “fitness shouldn’t be a punishment. You should feel like it’s there to support your life.”

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Tammy Holliday, who instructs yoga classes at the Simcoe Seniors’ Centre, notes the importance of setting achievable goals.

“Set a realistic intention,” Holliday advises, and know what you want to get out of the activity, whether it’s better fitness, more flexibility, or something else.

Holliday notes that it’s important to give a new activity at least six weeks before giving up on it.

“It takes your body time to adjust. Don’t get frustrated if, after that time period, it’s not attainable for you.” At the same time, “even if you have to walk away, lean into something else that is good for your health, something that meets your intention.”

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Samantha Miller serves as a Sit To Be Fit instructor. Sit To Be Fit, a low impact workout for seniors, is a free program offered at various locations through the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton. 

Like some of the other instructors, Miller believes that doing group activities is a good way to maintain commitment. She says doing something you find fun creates greater motivation to keep going. “Choose something that feels like a good fit, and that you enjoy,” she suggests. 

So those who have set fitness goals for 2026 can take heart. By following a few tips, there’s hope you can be among that small percentage of people who keep their resolutions. 

And if you do happen to miss the target, remember that it’s never too late to reset.