Are New Year’s Resolutions Really Made to Be Broken?

While engaged in an empassioned conversation with a friend on New Year’s Eve about our high hopes for success in 2009, I at one point jovially (and drunkenly) exclaimed “This year is going rock my world, I feel it in my bones!”

Ten days later, I find myself in strategic planning mode for how exactly I’m going to make that happen. And following weak resistance to giving into the trend (of course, because I’m so untrendy), I decided to make a “List of New Year’s Resolutions.” It’s terribly cliché, I know: carefully construct a list of goals in January that will probably be found in the city landfill come April. Or March. But other than being an ancient Rome-inspired tradition that is the butt of many a joke, setting new goals for a new year can really aide in fulfilling one’s dreams for success, whether they be short- or long-term. 

So I did it! I sat at my dining table, pen in hand and candles aglow (I wrote it by candlelight, it’s true), and created a list of things I want to accomplish this year. Some are small yet seemingly impossible objectives like “Save more money,” while others are lifestyle-changing aspirations such as “Rethink my career path and adjust accordingly.” The one that I find most daunting and exciting, however, is this one: “Run a marathon.”

Just saying it out loud gets me winded. Compared to my fitter years when I was an avid runner and ate relatively healthy foods (translate: I never  ate fast food…), I’m so out of shape that I stood staring in shock at myself in the mirror the other day. I completely lack muscle tone in all the places I used to flaunt it. I can’t run more than thirty minutes without getting cramps. What is happening? Running used to be my therapy, the highlight of my day. I knew what the phrase “runner’s high” meant, but now I wonder if I’ll ever be able to reach cloud-nine while pounding the pavement again. This is precisely why I’ve challenged myself to run a  26.2 mile race. Call me a glutton for punishment, but I actually think I can do this!

So with my committment to being fit again in place, I need to actually work out. But with all the gyms in New York City and a limited disposable income, it’s hard to know where I can get the most for my dollar and my time. I’m also guessing that I’m not the only one who’s found gym-vetting to be a difficult process, so I’ve decided the best way to choose a gym that’s a perfect match for me (and you) is to experience a few! 

For four weeks, I’ll be writing weekly full-length reviews on four gyms in New York City. And no, you won’t be finding mention of Crunch or New York Sports Club here. So as I embark on my mission to find a workout hub that’s convenient, affordable, and fun (fun!) while also relearning how to exercise, I will definitely need some advice on how to make the most of my efforts. Please share your thoughts, experiences, tips… share it all!

Check back a week from now, and you’ll get all the details of my seven day-long stint at Ludlow Fitness!