2023 Fitness Goals

by James Coulter

With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions. For many, that resolution involves getting in shape and losing weight. Many people try, while many more quit within the first month. If your New Year’s resolution is better health and to get in shape yet you haven’t figured out how to obtain that better looking figure, then consider these fitness options:

#1: Gym Membership & Personal Trainers

The most common resolution is losing weight. So, the most common commitment is joining a gym. But while some people join a gym with the fervor of an Olympic athlete, come February, they often stop going.

Brandon Roggow, Owner of Habitat Health and Fitness in Winter Haven, blames this dropoff rate to lack of motivation. People go in with high hopes but quickly run out of steam.

“Someone wants to lose 50 pounds, so they focus on those 50 pounds,” Roggow explained. “The moment the scale does not move in the direction of those 50 pounds, they get discouraged and they stop going.”

Roggow suggests focusing on the process rather than the goal. Going to a motivational environment like a gym is the best way to accomplish that, he suggests.

“If you go to the library, you are motivated to learn and study in that environment. That is set up for that,” he said. “When you go into a gym environment, they are working out with a sense of motivation.”

Roggow started Habitat for Health and Fitness 13 years ago with the goal of merging a traditional gym with personal training. He wanted everyone to work out with a personal trainer, so the gym hosts fitness sessions with a trainer often leading between 3 to 30 people.

When searching for a gym, he recommends asking questions about goals and motivations. Are you self -motivated? If so, a regular gym membership would suffice. If not, consider a personal trainer.

Pros: Exercising in a motivational environment designed specifically for fitness with plenty of equipment for all your potential fitness needs and goals.

Cons: Membership fees can be expensive, getting to the gym can be difficult to incorporate into daily or weekly routine, and in-experienced newcomers could face potential safety hazards by using equipment improperly.

#2: Yoga

Most people focus on improving their physical health, but even more important is improving their mental and emotional health. Practicing yoga is a great way to improve all three!

Take it from Jody Reece from Inside Out Yoga in Winter Haven. She was introduced to yoga during her first class 22 years ago. Now, she has become an official yoga instructor.

“It has become life changing for me,” she said. “I just felt a whole lot better physically and mentally.”

Yoga has various benefits, from increasing mobility and flexibility to reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Jody has seen many students come in for the first time and have their lives improve after a few classes.

“We have had students who went off of their blood pressure medication,” she said. “Some say their back feels better after one class.”

For anyone starting yoga, she recommends joining a class. While many people can try yoga at home, being in a non-judgmental group environment can help motivate them.

“Just come with an open mind,” she said. “Do what you can do. Rest if you need to rest. Our teachers are great about giving modifications and not comparing yourself to anyone else.”

Pros: Yoga is a low-risk exercise with many physical and mental health benefits. It can improve flexibility and mobility, boost immunity, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Cons: Even a low-risk exercise, like any other, has a slight risk of injury, and in-person yoga classes can be expensive.

#3: Boxing

Boxing is more than a sport or hobby. For many, it’s a way of life. Not only can it make people more physically active and fit, but they can also gain crucial self-defense skills along with confidence, and motivation.

Since opening Winter Haven Boxing, Coach Marco Fazzini has seen many students, young and old, enter his boxing rings and turn their lives around through his rigorous training.

So many have trained to be amateur and professional athletes who won championships. Many lost weight while others gained confidence. All of them have improved their lives through the discipline and perseverance honed through boxing, Fazzini explained.

While boxing lessons are taught at some commercial gyms, Fazzini recommends joining an official boxing club or gym. Learning the sport takes hard work and commitment, but all of that more than pays off when the result is a better, fitter, more confident you.

“They should know in advance that they will sweat a lot, they will be sore, and they will work hard,” he said. “Boxing is not a sport you play. When you join a boxing club, take it serious, and the good times will roll.”

Pros: Basic routine does not require glove-to-body contact, which means less risk of serious injury. Boxing can help reduce stress and improve stamina, strength, and cardiovascular health.

Cons: Even mere glove-to-body contact poses slight risks to injury such as bruises, scrapes, and head injuries. Also, the cost of lessons and equipment can be quite pricey.

#4: Zumba

Does Latin and hip-hop music make you want to get up and dance? If so, then Zumba might be the best choice for you. It’s a great excuse to burn calories while dancing along to fast-paced Latin-inspired music. You can burn up to 500 to 900 calories within an hour’s workout, according to Paulina Ryerson, Zumba instructor for Just Move South Lakeland.

Paulina has been teaching Zumba for ten years. Her instructor helped her gain a passion for the workout, with dance songs like the music she grew up listening to in Equador. She has since become certified and now teaches classes at Just Move.

She loves the great cardio workout Zumba offers. The Latin-inspired music fills students with high energy Continued -->

and inspires them to dance their calories away through high-octane choreography.

“When you get into it and start dancing, you get hooked with the music and happiness in the room,” Paulina said. “Zumba is more than family. We are a community. We share love everywhere because we help people...[and] we just help each other. We are like a loving family.”

Pros: Due to its growing popularity, Zumba classes are widely available and flexible to fit into one’s busy schedule. The workout is highly motivational and boost mood, self-esteem, and energy.

Cons: As with most forms of exercise, Zumba carries the inherent risk of potential injury from soreness to muscle sprains and strains.

#5: Pilates

Do your joints ache? Are they not as flexible as they used to be? Do you suffer from back pain? Perhaps the best solution is to strengthen your core muscles. So why not try Pilates?

Pilates is like yoga only with greater focus on building your core strength, which, in turns, helps facilitate overall better health. Through this intense workout of your core muscles, you can improve your strength, flexibility, balance, and posture.

“Pilates helps strengthen your core,” explained Chris Alicea, General Manager of Club Pilates Lakeland. “The mid part supports everything, and as you strengthen it, your body will take proper posture and you will feel good about yourself. But the biggest take away is [that you will] roll your shoulders back and keep you in an upright position, [which will] increase muscle strength and stress management.”

Alicea has served as an instructor for more than 17 years. During that time, he has seen his student’s health improve immensely under his tutelage, as they experience benefits from lowered stress to increased bone density. His advice for newcomers is to do their research beforehand.

“I tell them to do their homework,” he said. “Find out your limitations and what you are trying to achieve…Just consider what you are going to do and think about Pilates as a workout that works out your entire body and helps you achieve most of the goals you are looking for.”

Pros: Pilates is a low-impact exercise that strengthens your core muscles, which helps improve flexibility, balance, and posture, decrease stress, and alleviate back and joint pain.

Cons: The exercise is not the best way to burn calories, and a cardio workout will need to supplement it. Also, as with other routines, there is a slight risk of injury, especially for beginners.

If you’re looking for a place to get into shape this year, consider these local gyms and locations:

Fitness Gyms

Habitat Health and Fitness

650 6th St SW Suite 101, Winter Haven, FL 33880 https://habitatfit.com/ 863-875-7575

Elite Fitness Gym

6294 Cypress Gardens Boulevard, Winter Haven, FL 33884 https://elitefitnesswh.com/ 863-662-3999

Laws of Fitness Downtown

46 3rd St NW, Winter Haven, FL 33881 https://lawsoffitness.net/ 863-875-3254

Power Fitness

7020 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33884 https://www.powerfitnesswh.com/ 863-488-9050

Crunch Fitness

5218 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33813 https://www.crunch.com/locations/lakeland 863-677-9200

Just Move Athletic Club

Winter Haven and Lakeland https://www.justmovewinterhaven.com/ https://www.justmovehavendale.com/ https://www.justmovesouthlakeland.com/

Planet Fitness

Winter Haven, Lakeland, and Lake Wales https://www.planetfitness.com/

Anytime Fitness

Various Locations https://www.anytimefitness.com/

Yoga

Inside Out Yoga

52 4th St NW Winter Haven, FL 3388 http://www.ioyogastudio.com 863-224-2311

Yoga Bliss Studio

205 E Stuart Ave Lake Wales, FL 33853 https://yogablissstudiofl.com/ 813-299-5159

Fibrofit Wellness & Yoga

121 Ridge Center Dr, Davenport, FL 33837 https://www.fibrofitwellness.net/ 863-438-2600

Valhalla Yoga And Wellness

449 N Andrea Cir, Haines City, FL 33844 https://valhallayoga.squarespace.com/ 407 408-4279

The Balance Culture

1037 Florida Ave S #125, Lakeland, FL 33803 https://thebalanceculture.com/ 863-603-8567

Yoga Pointe Inc

2539 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33803 https://www.yogapointe.com/ 863-937-8069

Satya Life Yoga

112 E Pine St, Lakeland, FL 33801 https://www.satyalife.com/ 863-802-9642

Boxing

Winter Haven Boxing

2510 Avenue G NW, Winter Haven, FL 33880 https://www.facebook.com/winterhavenboxing/ 863-207-7460

Collado Boxing Academy

1331 N Combee Rd Ste 1331, Combee Settlement, FL 33801 https://www.facebook.com/ ColladoBoxingAcademy/ 863-660-1245

RockBody Health & Fitness Studio

3076 Cypress Gardens Rd, Cypress Gardens, FL 33884 https://www.facebook.com/rocbodyhealthfitstudio/ 863-280-5492

Big Dreams Boxing & Fitness Academy

1853 E Memorial Blvd Ste 111 Lakeland, FL 33801 https://big-dreams-box-fit.business.site/ 863-412-9687

Pilates

The Spot Fitness Studio

1126 1st St S, Winter Haven, FL 33880 https://thespotfitnessstudio.com/ 863-662-3248

Physical Health Center

301 3rd St NW Ste 200, Winter Haven, FL 33881 https://www.facebook.com/PHC.Pilates/ 863-651-8032

Club Pilates

4747 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33813 https://www.clubpilates.com/location/lakeland 863-398-1400

The Balance Culture

037 Florida Ave S #125, Lakeland, FL 33803 https://thebalanceculture.com/ 863-603-8567

Viva Pilates

104 W Reynolds St, Plant City, FL 33563 https://www.vivapilatesplus.com/ 813-951-3420

Sculpted Swan Fitness

845 Creative Dr #3, Lakeland, FL 33813 https://sculptedswan.com/ 863-604-5255

Zumba

Just Move Havendale

1164 Havendale Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33881 https://www.justmovehavendale.com/ 863-294-4653

Wilfred Smith Community Center

135 Ave Y NE, Winter Haven, FL 33881 http://www.polk-county.net/ 863-298-7898

Anytime Fitness

23749 Hwy 27 Lake Wales FL 33859 https://www.anytimefitness.com/gyms/3344/ lake-wales-fl-33859/ 863-949-4819

Lake Wales Family YMCA

1001 Burns Ave, Lake Wales, FL 33853 https://www.ymca.org/locations/ lake-wales-family-ymca 863-676-9441

Johnny and Freda Brooks Eloise Resource Center

710 Snively Ave, Eloise, FL 33880 https://www.polk-county.net/ 863-298-4485