I knew it was coming. It happens twice every year – January and September – and yet I still wasn’t totally prepared for the madness that greeted me yesterday.

What I’m talking about is the Happy New Year-induced chaos and craziness at the gym.

We all know January is the month of new beginnings, the time when we swear we’re going to make changes in our lives and become that thinner, stronger, better self.

I work out at the Athletic Club in Guelph, mostly making myself go to my twice weekly sessions of “torture” with Taylor and a day or so on my own.

Yesterday was the first day back to work and school – and also the first day of post-New Year’s insanity at the gym.

It was really almost comical to watch as I arrived for my normal Monday round of torture. The parking lot was filled to overflowing when I got there after work, the change room was absolutely packed and when I looked over row upon row of full cardio machines, I saw many eager new faces focused in their concentration on getting that heart rate up and building up a good sweat.

Sales staff were leading a steady stream of potential new members through the facility, giving them the 50 cent tour and sales pitch on the many benefits of membership.

And as I left shortly after 6 pm, cars of would-be gym goers were still circling in the parking lot, aimlessly searching for that elusive parking spot. It was worse than being at the Mall on the last shopping day before Christmas!

Now don’t get me wrong. There are definite benefits to joining a gym…but in order to realize them, you actually have to make yourself go. Regularly. And that’s where most of us – myself included – tend to fall off the wagon. If it weren’t for Taylor, that wagon would have left me in the dust ages ago, despite whatever good intentions I might harbour.

I applaud anyone who wants to improve their health through fitness. If you can stick with your new resolutions, more power to you. God knows it isn’t easy and I have the utmost respect for anyone who can make lasting changes in their lives.

But the selfish me inside can’t help but looki forward to February, when things gradually start to return to “normal” at the gym as our resolutions fall by the way side…and parking lot pandemonium is once again a distant memory.

Until September when school starts up again.

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