GREAT FALLS — Many Great Falls residents make health-related resolutions as the new year begins, but local fitness professionals say sticking to them is frequently the most difficult obstacle once the January motivation wears off.
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A common New Year’s resolution is maintaining your health, and a lot of people do this by going to the gym. However, as the months pass, it becomes a little more challenging to attend.
To tackle this drop-off, Peak Health & Wellness is launching its annual Health & Wellness Quest, a six-week program that will coach Peak members through setting realistic, measurable goals.
“So we run this program annually. It’s a good kickoff to the new year,” said Shanda Leritz, Fitness Director at Peak. “As we know, everyone has resolutions. They want to get a little healthier as one of those. And so, we are here to help them guide them through that process.”
Participants compete in four to six-person teams and participate in group fitness classes, tailored nutrition plans, and private coaching.
Weekly prize drawings—sponsored by area businesses such as Scheels, TNT, Bravera Bank, and Studio Montage—provide additional motivation.
"They actually get entered into an additional prize drawing every week," Leritz told me. "We've reached out to local businesses to help with those prizes."
"We use InBody for that — it measures body fat and muscle mass," Leritz said. "And then we have a system called Kinotek that looks at our functional assessment and overall mobility health."
The program's registration period began on January 1 and will continue until January 9.
For those seeking alternatives to standard gym workouts, Great Falls' yoga studio offers a unique approach to wellbeing.
Sarah Kenyon, studio manager and instructor, believes yoga's popularity stems from its blend of physical and emotional benefits.
"What is awesome about yoga is that it's a mind-body combination of things," Kenyon explained. "So it's not only the physicality of an exercise, but it has that mental component as well."
Yoga sessions emphasize flexibility, balance, strength, and stress reduction while staying low-impact and accessible.
"There's no impact on your joints," Kenyon remarked. "But it helps lengthen your muscles and stretch out where that aspect of physical movement sometimes gets left behind."
Habit provides a variety of programs, from beginner sessions to sculpt and hot yoga, with most classes attracting between 13 and 20 people.
According to Kenyon, responsibility is essential for long-term success, regardless of the format.
"Whether it's an app, whether it's this program, whether it's friends or family or a personal trainer, you need somebody to help push you to get to your goals and keep you accountable to those," Leritz added.
As Great Falls approaches 2026, fitness professionals believe that long-term health improvements come from setting realistic objectives, seeking community support, and simply showing up — one step at a time.
