Things are about to get crazy

On December 19, 2001, The Fellowship of the Ring hit theaters and geek culture was changed forever.

If you’re like me, you associate these movies with the holidays and get ready to re-watch all three movies (extended editions, obviously).

I watched again Fellowship recently, a funny thought occurred to me.

While in the Mines of Moria, Gandalf reads the final entry in the Book of Mazarbul, the journal of Balin and his fellow dwarves and their expeditions—and deaths—into the mines:

We can’t exit:

The end is coming soon.

we hear drums drums in the depths.

They are coming…

As I watched this scene, I couldn’t help but smile as I thought of current gym goers worrying about the crowds come January:

“They’re coming…”

Right now, millions and millions of people are ready for a “new year, new me.”

Many of those people—perhaps including you—have decided that January 1st will be a day to get back into the gym or restart an exercise routine.

I think this is it EXCELLENT!

Studies show that “fresh starts” or choosing specific time landmarks such as January 1st can be beneficial for making changes.

However, there is one problem: “going to the gym regularly” is not a decision.

Dozens of decisions to be made:

• Which gym will you join?
• Will you change at home or in a changing room?
• What is the parking situation like?
• What time of day works best for you?
• What level of gym membership will you get?
• Will you choose classes or train yourself?
• What pieces of equipment will you use?
• Do you know how to use that equipment?
• Are you going to shower at the gym or at home?
• How many times a week will you exercise?
• What if your equipment is being used?

If you find gyms intimidating or anxiety-inducing, doing ALL of these in January is like playing a video game on legendary difficulty:

The equipment you want to use may be busy.

The parking situation can be a nightmare.

The class you want to attend may be full.

You will look for any excuse to tell you why you can’t do something. If you’re intimidated by the gym or upset because it’s crowded, your brain will beg you to stay home and never join.

I know at this point your brain is saying “Wait until January 1st…” before you try again.

That’s fine!

However! If you are willing to take a few steps NOW, you will have a much better chance of success in the future.

So here is the challenge…

Join today, but don’t even practice!

This is the PERFECT opportunity to join without ​the added pressure of ALL HUMANITY​:

This allows you to get all the EXTRA decisions out of the way:

which gym, where to park, what time of day you will go, etc.

I’m a fan of Terry Crews’ tips for building a gym habit:

“Go to the gym, sit there and read a magazine, then go home. And he does this every day. Go to the gym, don’t even work out. It just GOES.

Because the habit of going to the gym is more important than training. Because it doesn’t matter what you do.

You can have fun – but as long as you’re having fun, you keep doing it.”

Try and think of these next two weeks as a beta test with no expectations!

There is no training routine to follow.

Make sure you know where the equipment is and how it works

Work dry to make it look like working out in the morning or evening.

You don’t have to beat yourself up about not being perfectly consistent.

Instead, now you’re just focused on creating the hardest part of the routine (getting in the car or walking to the gym and opening the door).

Which means you can hit January 1 with a bang. And never underestimate how powerful momentum can be.

I’m not above bribing you!

Many people will join us ​Coaching Program​ January, which is exciting!

But just like getting to the gym early has its benefits, joining our workout before the rush means less waiting, more time to get ready with your trainer, and more momentum going into the new year!

We see this every year… which brings me to my two tips for you.

NUDGE #1: If you are in doubt about training, ​make an appointment​ talk to a member of the NF team this week.

While you’re talking to us, just to mention “Friendship” for $50 off your first month or $100 off our longer prepaid plans.

Learn more about Nerd Fitness Coaching

We hope this nudge will help make your decision a little easier, plus make it easier for us to connect you with the right coach before things get a little busier in January.

Oh, and if NF Coaching isn’t in your cards at the moment, no worries!

NUDGE #2: To start the first week of January, we are launching a ​free 5 day kickstart challenge​ here at Nerd Fitness, hosted by head trainer Matt Myers. Simply click the button below and sign up!

Join the free 5-day Kickstart challenge

Matt will tackle the number one reason most people don’t follow through on their fitness and nutrition programs – and what you can do to make 2025 the year things really stick.

Ok, back to watching The Lord of the Rings!

-Steve