The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : New Year `get fit' syndrome

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 06, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

New Year `get fit' syndrome

Susan Muthalaly

Gyms and aerobics instructors benefit from resolutions to get healthy Gyms and aerobics instructors benefit from resolutions to get into shape There are the genuine fitness enthusiasts who attend class regularly, and then there are those trying to lose weight within a time frame

IN STEP: A step aerobics class in progress at O2 Health Studio in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: The city's health and fitness industry is benefiting from the good intentions of its citizens as they sprint into 2006.

After the excesses of the festive season and the careful framing of New Year resolutions to be healthy, attendance at gyms, aerobics classes and waitlists for appointments with dieticians are on the rise.

Fitness instructor Jeffrey Vardon says his evening classes are at full capacity with about 25 people in each class. "This always happens at the beginning of the year; the New Year resolutions last for about three months," he says.

Even quarterly gym memberships have doubled at O2 Health Studio. Jeffery says it is also because people return from holidays and get back into their routines — children are packed off to school and housewives are free to return to their aerobics classes.

Ann, a college lecturer, has made a "get fit, stay healthy" resolution for her and her eight-year-old daughter. "We went to Bangalore and have been feasting at KFC and McDonalds. So now we've started a healthy diet — no rice and potatoes, lots of fresh juice and vegetables. She cycles and skips everyday and I'll be rejoining the gym. I will be going six days a week," she says.

Lifestyle change

Weight management expert Tusna Park says the influx of clients marks the end of the holidays. Usually, it takes two days to get an appointment with her but now there's a waiting period of at least a week. Dr. Park suggests a lifestyle change, not a short-term diet, but she still has clients who revert to their old eating habits after the first few months.

Kamlesh Futnani, aerobics instructor at Fitness One, says there are two types of people: the genuine fitness enthusiasts who attend class regularly and those striving to lose weight within a certain time frame. "My classes were full towards the end of the year because people wanted to look good for the New Year parties. The same thing happens at the beginning of the year due to resolutions. I now have people in my class who I haven't seen for two years," he says.

Kamlesh says it's mainly young, married couples who sign up to look good rather than feel good. They attend two aerobics classes a day and go on rigorous diets but it doesn't last very long. "The latest one I've been hearing is, `I'm getting married this year, I have to get into shape.' Once these people achieve their goal, they drop out," he said.

However, there are some people like 22-year-old Megha who has set a realistic resolution for herself. "I'm a bit overweight, so I have resolved to eat healthy and go for a walk everyday," she says.

She says she's financially invested in her health in the past but now, her greatest investment is time. "Diet food depresses me. I'm a biologist, I know each individual's body constitution varies so I've decided to be happy with the way I look. I don't really care about my appearance but I'm going to keep my resolutions to stay healthy," says Megha.

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