Color Me Egg-cited

So we’re a little more than two months into 2020. How are those New Year’s resolutions going? 

Maybe your goal was to be more organized and keep the house a bit tidier, but the kids’ schedules are keeping you on the run and the laundry and dishes are piling up.

Maybe it was to eat healthier, but you just couldn’t resist the temptation of McDonalds or Taco Bell.

Maybe—and this is the big one—it was to start exercising and stick to it. Unfortunately, that went out the window when you found that gyms were too crowded, or the routine conflicted with the rest of your busy life, or frankly, being sore sucked.

No need to worry or beat yourself up! If your New Year’s resolution is shot, you have an opportunity to let another upcoming holiday get you back on track! In fact, you have a chance to hit the reset button on that promise to yourself, and Orangetheory Fitness of Saline County is here to help.

Studio Manager Heidi Glover says the company is launching a fun, unique campaign designed to keep you looking out around town for some common items while also refocused on building a better you.

Think of it as a Saline County Easter Egg Hunt for fitness.

“We’ve taken three bicycles and painted them orange just like the colors of Orangetheory,” she said. “We’re going to take them throughout the area, lock them up and leave them there for 30 days.”

From there, Glover says it’s up to you to let her and her fellow trainers know you’ve found them. “The goal is to find all three bikes, take your picture with them and post them to social media, tagging us,” she said. “At the end of the 30 days, if we have multiple people who submitted the photographs, we’ll hold a drawing where the winner will receive an orange beach cruiser bike.”

Who doesn’t love the thrill of hunting for that golden egg mixed in with a little competition? But Glover says the idea is to get the participants thinking about something more: their health. “We want to raise awareness about physical and mental fitness, yes. This is a unique way of doing that, and we hope people will accept the challenge while also considering whether they could do more to have a better quality of life.

“Now is a good time to start. Anytime is a good time to start,” she added. “Don’t you want to be able to run around with your grandkids, feel better as you age, or just be healthy?”

Orangetheory Fitness offers one-hour classes where members work in a group setting. Exercises focus on the full body and keep track of participants’ progress through heart monitors, but Glover says they shouldn’t feel insecure or intimidated by the experience, as she says, “It’s not what you think.”

“We want everyone who exercises with us to do so at their own pace,” she said. “We do everything from power walking to jogging and running, but it’s all at your pace, your comfort level.”

Unlike preconceived ideas from the past, Glover says fitness doesn’t have to be cold, impersonal or an isolated activity anymore. You’re no longer required to work out on your own, pushing yourself through weight training or cardio. Instead, businesses like Orangetheory Fitness offer their classes in a group training format. “The idea is to promote camaraderie, teamwork and encouragement for those in class to improve. Also, we plan our workouts ahead of time and keep an eye on students to make sure they aren’t underperforming or pushing themselves too hard where they could be injured.”

When it comes to staying fit, Glover says she’s been active almost all her life. “My father was always very active, always playing sports,” she said. “So, when I graduated high school I just began working in group fitness settings and that led me to Orangetheory.”

But what about those men and women who haven’t been active throughout their lives? What about those who’ve turned to exercise more by necessity than by choice? 

“It doesn’t matter your fitness background or where you come from,” Glover said. “If you have never even worked out a day in your life, you can come in and begin working and doing the same exercises as more experienced people. You can do it at your pace and improve as you go.”

Adults will have the opportunity to relive the days of their childhood Easter egg hunts. Glover says the “Easter bike hunt” will run April 1-30 to coincide with the month’s Easter celebrations. Participants are asked to post their photos of the orange bikes to @otfbryantar on Instagram. For more information, go to bryant.orangetheoryfitness.com.