Happy New You

Times Reporter   

 

Having successfully run her first fitness challenge in the fall of 2013, Sarah McCulloch, a graduate of NAIT’s Personal Fitness Trainer program is back with a new 10-week session titled Happy New You, running from Feb. 5 to April 16.

“People that kind of want to get out of a rut, or they’ve been doing those crash diets, just going in circles – this tries to get them into a routine in making fitness part of a lifestyle,” McCulloch said. “It focuses on a full body workout; getting all the muscles activated, cardio, flexibility, everything.”

McCulloch continuously offers FleX fitness classes throughout the year, three times a week at Strathaven Hall. While in the Happy New You program, those classes are all included. If, however, classes cannot be attended, McCulloch also provides weekly workout programs to complete as well. Nutritional support is key to the program, McCulloch said, as most people don’t realize they overeat. 

“We’re trying to do it from a basic way so it’s not too much information. Every week I assist them, and give them weekly programs to do on their own,” McCulloch said. “At the end of ten weeks, they should already feel like, okay, I’m already in a routine, let’s keep going. I’ll still have the classes running, and you can just register for those.”

Participants will be judged to determine who wins the challenge, not necessarily just by results but by attendance in classes, completing home or gym workouts, and participating in weekly Skype meetings. Points will be assessed for strength increase, and based on what goals participants had set for themselves.

“Everyone has different goals of what they want to get out of it – whether it’s ten full pushups or losing ten pounds,” McCulloch said. “I keep that from the beginning and assess that on a weekly basis. I get them to write up a testimonial of their experience and how it helped them.”

Those testimonials will then be posted online, and are tallied for who has the most votes to help determine a winner of the challenge. Prizes include Lululemon gift cards, Runway Hair Salon gift certificates, and FleX class gift certificates.

“I just know based on experience, if people don’t have goals, they’re not going to get anywhere,” McCulloch said, who has been a personal trainer for seven years. “If they don’t have anyone challenging them, they’re not going to get any changes.”

After the Happy New You session, McCulloch plans on running another in the summer, to take place at Kinsmen Park.

The deadline to register is Jan. 30, and costs $799. Gift certificates are available as well. Contact Sarah at smcculloch2@hotmail.com or 403-901-5443.