Defeating mental roadblocks key for fitness goals

By SYDNEY CROSSON & ANTHONY FIUZA Sentinel Staff

news@lewistownsentinel.com

LEWISTOWN — We’ve often heard going to the gym can be beneficial. However, creating that determination comes with plenty of challenges.

Yes, people want to feel better about themselves physically, but going to the gym can also be about leaping over mental hurdles, such as feeling self-conscious or finding inner strength to overcome a number of reps.

Anne Maisonable, general manager at Anytime Fitness in Burnham, wants people to feel comfortable when focusing on their fitness goals.

“I want people to know that they’re not going to get judged. A lot of people come in and feel like ‘people are going to look at me’ or ‘I’m not really familiar with how to use the equipment.’ But, we do have trainers that come in. A personal trainer will go over health goals and give them a workout plan,” Maisonable said. “No one is going to judge you when you come in here. It’s super friendly. People love to work out, mind their business and do their own thing. But, at the same time, they want to help you, especially if they see you struggling and are not really sure how to use the equipment.”

According to an article published by Workout Anytime in August 2022, the International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association found that 66 million Americans are members at a health club.

Lewistown area residents have expressed a desire to see the scales tip in the opposite direction.

“Their first goal is definitely weight loss. I do have members that come in and they want to focus on toning. For the most part, the older crowd wants to focus on strength. They’re getting older and don’t want to be in a wheelchair or a walker, so they basically want to focus on endurance and strength. It’s between building strength, weight loss and toning,” Maisonable explained.

“We’ve seen a lot of clients who have seen drastic transformations. One client that was working started at 300 pounds and now he’s at 240. So, if you’re consistent, are able to be coachable and follow what the trainer is saying, then you’re definitely going to see results.”

For some people, it can be hard knowing where to begin their fitness journey. Maisonable offered a simple solution whenever someone has the urge to work out.

“As soon as you have that thought, ‘hey, I want to join a gym.’ Either call immediately or automatically just come. It’s a mindset shift. If you really want to change your life and have a new lifestyle, just get started,” Maisonable said.

For over a year, Maisonable has been a physical trainer. She’s found it crucial to help people overcome fitness obstacles by supporting them on an emotional level.

“If someone hits a wall, I usually reach out to them and find out what’s going on. I always try to bring them back to why they started, just have a conversation and see what’s going on. That usually helps out, just having a heart-to-heart and not even talking about fitness or working out,” Maisonable said.

Like Maisonable, Sarah King is also a knowledgeable fitness guru in the