A commitment to fitness in 2009

By Mandy Walton

Monday, Jan. 5, 2009 | 3:06 p.m.

It’s cliché, but almost every single one of us makes a resolution at the start of a new year. Fitness and health are consistently the top areas people promise to focus on, year after year. Despite a person’s best intentions, however, it’s not uncommon to hit the gym until around March or so then drift away, losing sight of the desired goal.

Mindtools.com, a time management Web site, makes a few suggestions for reaching your desired goal, including writing it down and breaking a large goal into a few smaller, more attainable ones.

A friend told me that by telling everyone around you your goal, you’re more likely to stick with it, because if you fail, everyone will know.

I’ve also got a great idea for you if you’ve set a fitness goal this year. Your very own Henderson Parks and Recreation Department can help you attain it, too.

If you’re a Henderson resident, you received a “Henderson Happenings” brochure from the Parks and Recreation Department just a few weeks ago. Inside, it’s packed with fitness and health classes (as well as many others). Online registration begins today, and mail-in and walk-in registration is also available. You can also access the same class information in the brochure online at www.cityofhenderson.com.

Here is your chance to stick with your goal!

Not only are there fitness rooms with treadmills, weights, indoor walking tracks, and other exercise equipment, Henderson also offers classes in dancing, boot camp, Jazzercise, kickboxing, low-impact, Pilates, tae kwon do, tai chi, yoga, and Zumba.

The fees you’ll pay for classes at the City of Henderson are minimal compared to joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer.

You can also sign up for lessons in tennis and golf, or get some friends or co-workers together and join as a team for league softball, basketball, soccer, or Ultimate Frisbee. All of these are sure to burn calories and increase your cardiovascular strength as well as helping you achieve your fitness goals.

Whether you have a fitness resolution or not, I definitely recommend checking out what the City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Department has to offer. I should know: I worked there for six years and also participate in classes myself. We are truly lucky to live in a community where recreation is so readily available and accessible to every resident.

Get out there and get fit! I’m not gonna lie, it’s my resolution this year, too.