January - the time for new starts. A new year means a clean slate where you can change yourself and do those things you’ve been putting off for months. Whether it be learning a new skill, or giving up an old habit, around 35% of people set New Year’s resolutions each year. The most common of these is health and fitness related goals, taking up a massive 42% of all resolutions. With almost 10 million Brits setting themselves this task each year, how many are actually going to succeed? Well, failure is surprisingly common, seeing as 80% fail to make it past February, and a miniscule 8% make it through the year. 

 

I was recently in contact with a local business to discuss the yearly fixation of improving health and fitness. Muscle Tone Fitness is a business located in Burnopfield, County Durham, run by Catherine and Gareth Taylor, which provides a variety of fitness classes such as Strength and Conditioning, Hiit Training and other workouts. These services have been offered since 2014 and sports massages have been provided since 2016 in order to help with recovery and reduce injuries. 

 

They told me about how they think January is “a great time for a fresh start and get motivated”, which is why many people decide to set fitness goals at this time. Whilst statistics show that very few actually continue with these goals for an extended period of time, these clearly don’t apply to Muscle Tone Fitness, as they explained how they “have around 75% of clients who stay [longer than a month or two]”, and how they still have a lot of clients who have stayed with them since opening a decade ago! 

 

We also discussed the biggest issues and struggles in resolutions, and how they believe that  “people don’t tend to take small manageable goals at first”, and how common it is for people to set their goals far too high and subsequently fail because of this. Taking this into consideration, Muscle Tone Fitness helps to encourage and motivate clients through working out the most “manageable” and “sustainable” way to achieve any goals they may set. I was also told about how they “work out people’s own calories and advise clients to only lose 1lb/2lb a week” and “keep in contact with clients” to make sure they are doing okay. 

 

A welcoming atmosphere is key for customers using a business, and Muscle Tone Fitness ensures this is achieved in their sessions and always try to change circuits to prevent boredom and heighten engagement. 

 

Overall, whilst improving health and fitness is one of the most abandoned resolutions each year, Muscle Tone Fitness clearly defy odds due to the positive atmosphere and dedication Catherine and Gareth put into the business and its clients. So, if you’re one of the many people who decided to try something new for fitness this year and are struggling, why not look into this gem? 

 

Facebook (www.facebook.com/muscletonefitness) 

Website (https://www.muscletonefitness.co.uk)