TRURO - Becky McCabe was a dedicated gym member.
The Crowes Mills resident regularly worked out before life got in the way.
Now, as 2013 begins, she's vowed to get back into the routine and took the first step yesterday at MacKinnon Fitness in Truro.
"I want to get back at it hard this year," she said. "Hopefully the new year will kick start me back on track."
She's not alone. While the rest of us suffer from holiday hangover, the fitness industry welcomes the coming of January - its busiest time of the year - with open arms, as people use the arrival of a new year as a starting point to get in better shape.
"We refer to it as our Super Bowl," Goodlife general manager Rob Decoeli said. "Hands down it's our best month and 99 per cent of it is New Year's resolution-driven people."
Decoeli said it's not uncommon to see the membership pool double this time of year. But the swell in eagerness to get fit doesn't take long to peter off, as numbers start to drop as early as February. It happened to McCabe.
"I was a gym member before somewhere else and it fell by the wayside," she said. "Life got busy and I didn't make myself a priority."
But Jeff MacKinnon, owner of MacKinnon Fitness, said looking after No. 1 is the only way to stay dedicated to a fitness regimen.
"It sounds a little selfish but it's really selfless because if you can't look after yourself then you can't look after other people," he said. "People tend to prioritize their kids, their spouse and other things and give so much of themselves they only have an hour left at the end of the day to lay on the couch and eat chips."
Jake Simkins, a 19-year-old Bible resident, has no problem sticking to his workout schedule.
"My life kind of revolves around the gym, not the gym revolves around my life," he said while taking a break from lifting weights at New Beginnings in Bible Hill.
His workout partner, Craig Fisher, an 18-year-old Truro resident, agreed, but said he understands why some people have difficulty getting started.
"At first it's different so they're not used to it," he said. "But after so long you don't want to stop. If there's a day I can't come it bugs me."
The intimidation factor is also a big roadblock for some who think the gym is full of already-fit people who look down on newcomers. But Joy Nicholson, owner of Joyful Yoga in Truro, said the first step is the biggest.
"The hardest part is getting started," she said. "Once you get started then you get motivated to maintain it."
That's exactly what McCabe plans to do this time around and she's got some extra motivation.
"You've just got to keep trying and don't give up, that's what I'm going to do this time. I have a wedding in May I'm standing in, so I want to look good for that," she said with a laugh.
