It’s coming.
A new year. A new chance to commit to the new you — again. The tired and cliche New Year’s resolution of “getting in shape” is humankind’s age-old battle.
It doesn’t have to be that hard. Local fitness and nutrition experts say it’s about more than just lifting really heavy weights or running as many miles as possible. Heck, it might even be fun at times if given the chance.
Brett Denton, the president of Kvell Fitness and Nutrition in Boise, believes in three pillars of a healthy life — one, aim for lean proteins and lots and lots of vegetables, he said. Two, movement. That sounds pretty vague but Denton enjoys that vagueness; just so long as the body is moving in some way your body will avoid stagnation. Finally, sleep. Bad sleep seems to be a staple in the American lifestyle these days, but a good night’s rest makes all the difference in a healthy life, Denton said.
Denton believes that getting in shape is about making it a habit — to go to the gym or even just take a leisurely walk every day.
“Our goal is — do what you can,” Denton said. “When you’re outside the gym it’s the little movements that make a difference. Do something tiny. If you can, create a habit out of movement.”
Denton isn’t the only coach with that mindset. The key to any healthy lifestyle is to start gradually, said Jake Gartin, the fitness manager at Crunch Fitness — Boise Black Eagle. Jumping into the deep end of healthy living isn’t easy and people often yoyo with their weight. The goal is to create gradual habits of fitness.
“Getting healthy should help with mental health,” Gartin said. “We are built to move. Any movement helps.”
When asked if there was a preferred method to getting healthy, whether it’s yoga, weight lifting, cardio or something else, Gartin believes that any workout is better than nothing.
“There’s not a single best way to get fit,” Gartin said. “If you have the money, get a trainer. Someone who holds you accountable to working out.”
Ryan Jones of Boise, a personal trainer for eight years, sees more traffic in his personal gym around February after new visitors wanting to start their fitness journey realize they want a more intimate space to work out. That was part of the thought process when designing a gym during a time when people want to avoid crowds.
“When designing a home gym during COVID I thought I would lose customers but that wasn’t the case,” Jones said. “I think a lot of people wanted that one-on-one time.”
Jones knows in his industry there’s a ton of misinformation about harmful workouts, insane crash diets and more that lead to injuries. He encourages those coming in fresh to the gym to seek professional help to understand what works best for their goals.
Nutrition is about 70% of a healthy lifestyle; the gym is a tiny part, Jones said.
“I think a lot of people try and cut down on the amount that they eat,” Jones said. “Once you start eating more, it kicks your metabolism into gear. I don’t think people realize how much that helps.”
Do you LOVE local news? Get Local News Headlines in your inbox daily.