On December 19, 2001, The Fellowship of the Ring hit theaters and nerd culture was changed forever.
If you’re like me, you associate these films with the holidays and are about to rewatch all three films (extended editions, of course).
I was the Community recently, and I had a funny thought.
While in the mines of Moria, Gandalf reads the final entry in the Book of Mazarbul, the journal of Balin and his fellow dwarves and their expeditions – and downfall – in the mines:
We can’t figure it out:
The end is coming soon.
we hear drums drums in the depths.
They come…
As I watched this scene, I couldn’t help but laugh as I thought about current gym-goers worried about the crowds coming in January:
“They’re coming…”
Right now, millions and millions of people are ready for ‘new year, new me’.
Many of those people—perhaps including yourself—have decided that January 1 is the day to go back to the gym or get back into your exercise routine.
I think this is so AMAZING!
Research shows that having a ‘fresh start’ or choosing specific temporary landmarks such as January 1 can be beneficial for implementing change.
There’s one problem, though: “going to the gym regularly” isn’t one decision.
Dozens of decisions have to be made:
- Which gym will you join?
- Are you being changed at home or in the dressing room?
- What is the parking situation like?
- What time of day suits you best?
- What level of gym membership do you get?
- Do you choose lessons or do you train alone?
- Which devices will you use?
- Do you know how to use that equipment?
- Do you shower at the gym or at home?
- How many times a week will you train?
- What if your equipment is used?
If you find gyms intimidating or terrifying, doing ALL of this in January is like playing a video game on Legendary Difficulty:
The device you want to use may be busy.
The parking situation can be a nightmare.
The class you want to take may be full.
You look for an excuse to tell you why you can’t do something. If you’re intimidated by a gym or nervous because it’s crowded, your brain will beg you to stay home and never join.
I know now: your brain is telling you, “Wait until January 1st…” before you try again.
That’s fine!
However! If you’re willing to take a few steps NOW, Future You has a much better chance of success.
So here’s the challenge…
Join today, but don’t even train!
This is the PERFECT opportunity to participate without the additional pressure from ALL HUMANITY:
This allows you to get all the EXTRA decisions out of the way:
which gym, where you can park, what time you go, etc.
I’m a fan of Terry Crews’ advice for getting into the habit of going to the gym:
“Go to the gym, just sit there and read a magazine, and then go home. And do this every day. Go to the gym, don’t even exercise. Just go.
Because the habit of going to the gym is more important than the workout. Because it doesn’t matter what you do.
You can have fun, but as long as you’re having fun, keep doing it.
Try to treat the next two weeks as a beta test without expectations!
There is no workout routine to follow.
You ensure that you know where the equipment is and how it works
You do a trial session of what it would be like to train in the morning or in the evening.
You don’t have to let yourself down because you’re not perfectly consistent.
Instead, now you just focus on building the hardest part of the routine (getting in the car or walking to the gym and opening the door).
That means you can enter January 1 with momentum. And never underestimate how powerful momentum can be.
I am NOT above bribing you!
Many people will join us Coaching program in January, which is exciting!
But just as there are benefits to getting to the gym early, joining our coaching before the rush means less waiting, more time to work with your coach, and more momentum moving into the new year!
We see this every year… which brings me to my two pushes for you.
NUDGE #1: If you have any doubts about coaching, schedule a time to talk to a Team NF member this week.
While you’re talking to us, just to call “Community” for $50 off your first month or $100 off our longer prepaid plans.
Learn more about Nerd Fitness Coaching
Hopefully this push can make your decision a little easier, and it will be easier for us to connect you with the right coach before things get busier in January.
Oh, and if NF Coaching isn’t on offer for you right now, don’t worry!
NUDGE #2: To kick off the first week of January, we are organizing a free 5-day kickstart challenge here at Nerd Fitness, hosted by head coach Matt Myers. Simply click the button below and sign up!
Join the free 5-day kickstart challenge
Matt will tackle the top reason why most people fail to follow through with their fitness and nutrition programs – and what you can do to make 2025 the year where everything actually sticks.
Okay, back to watching Lord of the rings!
-Steve