So Equinox decided they “don’t speak January” and everyone clutched their pearls and said how dare they. Apparently they decided to ban new members on New Years Day. It’s gatekeepery, and elitist somehow, and exclusionary…

And well… It’s Equinox.

They charge a couple hundred dollars a month in fees, the gyms aesthetic is very aspirational and glossy. Their feed and no doubt actual gyms are filled with beautiful, perfect people and their already beautiful, perfect abs. A place to see and be seen to be working out. I find their latest campaign to be incredibly on brand. Who is surprised by this? They are not Planet Fitness and have never pretended to be. I don’t anticipate a public apology issued anytime soon. It’s their prerogative to market and advertise how they see fit. They believe January is “a fantasy, delivered to your door in a pastel colored box.” They believe January “needs a new outfit before it can begin.” And on this, we agree.

New Year! New You! is indeed a fantasy. It’s a marketing tool designed to sell all manner things, workout clothes, regular clothes, skin care, make-up, gym memberships, planners, calendars, blenders, anything you name it. And this is all a lie. You don’t need to go buy anything to embark on a fitness journey. You don’t need LuLuLemon. Your old paint stained shirt will work just fine, I promise. You don’t have to start January 1st or on a Monday. You don’t even need a gym membership to Equinox or even Planet Fitness for that matter. A simple walk or run in your own neighborhood will suffice. You might even meet your neighbors!

res-o-lu-tion

noun.

1) a firm decision to do or not to do something.

2) the quality of being determined or resolute.

But let’s go a step further. Why do you need to be new at all? Why can’t you be you who works out sometimes? New Year, New You feels like a scam. Like if you don’t have a complete revolution in your soul and wake-up looking like a supermodel by March you’ve somehow failed. Even the word resolution is so absolute. Defined it means a firm decision to do or not do something. It’s firm. Rigid. No room for mistakes.

I prefer to have goals. I am still me. I still like me. I still want to be me. I just want to do better and be better when and where I can. I will try to drink more water. I will make more of an effort to eat less red meat. Pinky promise. I will go on my walks in my old paint stained shirts, and when those are dirty I will wear my husbands stuff. (I am nothing if not self aware). I will use my free calendar on my phone. The blender I already have works just fine to make those smoothies which I will aim to make 4x a year? Goals. Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it. January 1st is pretty and shiny, Equinox is right about that. But if it’s a great idea in January, it will still be a great idea in February and March. Maybe you don’t get going till June or even September and that’s fine too. Start on Monday or start on Thursday. Mess up? Do better tomorrow whatever day during the week that falls. Don’t be discouraged. Just keep it moving at whatever pace you’re comfortable, in whatever clothes you want to wear. You don’t have to be new, or shiny, or perfect. You can just be you.