A new year brings fresh energy, new beginnings, and more opportunities to focus on your goals. At MRU Recreation, you'll find the same great services to help you stay motivated and reach your wellness and fitness targets. 

Kick off the first weeks of 2026 by discovering the best tools and support systems, like our In-Body Scan Machine and personal training programs, available to you to get you striding into new challenges and exceed expectations.

The goal of goals
According to Forbes, a recent survey found that among the most common goals and New Year's resolutions for 2026 revolve around exercising more, eating a balanced diet, and improving lifestyle, without breaking the bank. 

Heather Higgins, MRU Fitness Coordinator, understands the importance of goal setting in fitness training, but often sees similarities in why people ultimately don't follow through or achieve them.

"Trying to make fitness goals without having a broader understanding of what total wellness is makes it really challenging," she said. 

94 percent of people who set New Year's resolutions often give up within the first few months of the year, with only 6 percent following through, according Dr. Michelle Rozen. 

Sarah Hall, a certified personal trainer at MRU, meets with a variety of clients that have different goals, and represent a vast range of experiences from students, seniors, and individuals who need support from injury. 

When working with her clients, Hall believes in setting SMART goals – specific, measureable, achieveable, relevant, time-bound – a common practice that personal trainers will encourage during consultation. 

"We sit down, go through all of that, and really see what your goals are, what you're comfortable with. [Together, we create] your starting point," Hall said. 

Whatever your reason for making lifestyle improvements, it's important to remember that change takes time. You also have to give yourself patience and grace, and keep a realistic vision of the outcome – one that isn't based on the bodies we see online.

"Try and find someone who is the same size, height, bodybuild as you and try to meet that goal," Higgins said. "Because there's some fitness influencers that I'm never going to look like."

You don't know what you don't know
Getting into shape or staying fit can be daunting ideas, because what does that even mean? Some people have an idea of what that might look like but not know how to get there. 

Using the InBody scan machine available at MRU Recreation can be a great starting point. The results of the scan will provide you a detailed breakdown of different metrics like water visceral, body composition, and fat percentage to better identify target areas.

The two to five minute process to administer the scan is easy and discreet, with a discounted pricing for members. It is recommended to complete an InBody scan every six to eight weeks at the minimum to see the best results and improvements. 

"We have some people that come in once a semester, [but] you can do it once every six months. It really depends on what your goals are," Higgins said. 

Studies have shown that InBody scans are fairly accurate and reliable tools to help with healthy lifestyle transformations even more than Body Mass Index (BMI) metrics. Results can also be shared with your dietician or trainer to build your overall training program. It is encouraged to consult your doctor if there are irregularities upon receiving results for underlying conditions. 

One foot after the other
At MRU Recreation, fitness and wellness is meant to be a social environment but anxieties around going to the gym and self-confidence do exist for many people. 

"Having another person for accountability is huge," Higgins said. "If you have a gym buddy that you want to work out with, then you can work together and reach these goals at the same time."

If you don't have anyone to go with, a personal trainer might be another alternative. Personal training can help with gym anxieties and learning about how to utilize workouts and equipment for your goals.

A part of Hall's philosophy is to build connections with her clients to be able to educate them to where they feel comfortable to do it on their own. 

Clients are matched with one of our certified trainers within 48 hours of completing the intake form. Higgins pairs trainers and clients based on information provided such as preferences, time availability, and focus areas.

Hall shares that her process is not the same for every client, but rather curated based on goals and different levels of comfortability with equipment and movement.

"The clientele that I work with, we're not looking for one max reps or how fast you can go," Hall said. "We're working more on lifestyle wellness, making the body feel good so that you can do other things out in the world."

One of Hall's most memorable client success stories is about an individual who had lost 200 pounds on their own and wanted to get stronger but was recovering from a knee injury. 

"When he came to me he wanted to work on strengthening, losing that little extra weight," she said. "Seeing him go through the mental side of that journey, he eventually got the excess skin taken off of his abdominal area, and seeing him [now] transform mentally and emotionally. His life has turned around and now he enjoys life." 

"Being a successful personal trainer is providing a safe environment for my clients so that they can grow and become stronger and challenge themselves," Hall said. 

MRU Recreation offers personal training with 1-on-1, 2-on-1, and 4-on-1 group sessions with affordable rates and can be held in-person or virtual. To learn more about personal training at MRU, visit our website.