Tips for staying active in the new year

Hitting the gym in the New Year Fitness enthusiasts wasted no time in tackling the weights on Jan. 1.

The new year has arrived, and with it new goals for many people hoping to start fresh and commit to a workout routine.

Michael Santarsieri, operations manager with Brickhouse Gym, said it is important for people to find something they love to do in the gym.

“I believe that [exercise is] very important both for your physical and mental health, but more importantly it’s just about finding your type of fitness, whether it’s boxing, whether it’s cardio, whether it’s weights,” he said.

“Just finding whatever kind of movement works best for you and incorporating that into your lifestyle.”

Santarsieri’s advice for those who want to be more active this year is to “move more,” even if it’s just going for a walk or stretching.

“It’s so much easier to do when you enjoy doing it rather than forcing yourself to do it,” he said.

He noted that Brickhouse does see a spike in new members around the new year, adding that the facility offers a promotion to encourage people to join.

NEW YEAR’S RUN

There was one group of people who started off 2024 on the right foot and with a dose of physical activity.

On Monday, about 150 people hit the pavement in Westwood for The Brick New Year’s Run, with participants running either one or five kilometres

According to Chris Walton, area manager and event coordinator for Running Room in Manitoba, Winnipeggers enjoy taking part in the event because it’s a way to look back on the past year and start the year off with an active lifestyle.

“We do this every year to try to promote that and that’s what we’re all about at Running Room,” Walton said.

“We see the smiles on people’s faces. They’ve had such a great experience here, each and every year.”

Walton said taking part in the run is a symbolic moment for many people who have made the choice to start a fitness program in the new year.

Monday’s event marks the 39th annual New Year’s Run