By TIFFANY TERR
@by:By TIFFANY TERRY
@by2:Universe Staff Writer
A beautiful, thin blonde is gesturing towards a piece of chocolate cake and smiling triumphantly. The caption reads: “This year, keep you New Year’s resolution, with the help of Maximum Strength Dexatrim.”
Ads like this are gracing the pages of January editions of fashion and ladies magazines.
The image industry has pulled out the big guns for the month of new goals and refined resolutions.
“We do some special promotions at the first of the year that are very effective,” said Bryan Luscomb, spokesman for Jenny Craig International.
As a result, weight loss and fitness programs experience a January business boom.
“In January we see a big increase … about a 50 percent increase,” said Diane Tenney, owner of Provo location of Diet Center. “Everybody’s got a New Year’s resolution.”
Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers representatives say they experience similar January surges.
The different weight-loss centers offer different types of programs with different levels of control. One characteristic stays the same for most programs, however. The personal or group counselor gives support and encouragement to those on the program.
“For some reason, humans have to answer to someone in order to stick to the program,” said Gwen Murri, a leader trainer at the Utah-Idaho franchise of Weight Watchers.
The Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Diet Center programs both encourage a well-rounded approach to weight-loss. Eating modifications, exercise and behavioral changes are all important aspects to maintaining successful weight loss.
“Diets are not effective for this reason,” Luscomb said. “If you’ve only temporarily changed your eating to achieve your goal, without exercise and behavioral changes you will gain it back.”
Of all three aspects (eating, exercise and behavioral changes) people seem to struggle with consistent exercise programs the most, Murri said.
“It’s difficult to change habits — the bad ones creep back into your life,” Murri said. “When it comes to exercise some people can’t see the forest through the trees.”
“Exercise seems to be the hardest for most people,” Tenney said. “People make excuses. We can’t afford not to exercise.”
There are other people who are more motivated to exercise and seek places to work out on a regular basis. As a result, the fitness industry also reaps financial benefits from January’s traditional goal setting.
“We see a big swing in January because of people’s New Year’s Resolutions,” said Stacey MacSparran the club director at Lifestyles 2000 Fitness Center.
“There is a lot of pressure for both men and women, the pressure we put on ourselves to look good,” MacSparran said. “Advertising takes advantages of these attitudes.”
Health is another important motivation for weight-loss and overall fitness.
“Everyone needs to lose between 5 and 100 pounds,” Tenney said. “The average person who comes to me needs to lose about 30 pounds.”
According to statistics provided by Jenny Craig International, 300,000 people die each year from weight-related causes.
In the United States, approximately 35 percent of women, 20 percent of men and 25 percent of children and adolescents are considered obese — meaning they are 20 percent over their ideal body weight.
