Like clockworks, the new year brings new devotees to fitness
– at least for a while
Every January fitness clubs throughout the area and across the
country see a dramatic increase in enrollment as people look for
ways to shed the 8 to 10 pounds of unwanted fat that they put on
over the holidays.
Most of them join the clubs in an attempt to adhere to New
Year’s resolutions that they made. Many stay a few months,
intensely working out with the hopes of restoring their
pre-Thanksgiving figures. But most of them quit by early spring
only to repeat the cycle over again the next year.
Like clockworks, the new year brings new devotees to fitness – at least for a while
Every January fitness clubs throughout the area and across the country see a dramatic increase in enrollment as people look for ways to shed the 8 to 10 pounds of unwanted fat that they put on over the holidays.
Most of them join the clubs in an attempt to adhere to New Year’s resolutions that they made. Many stay a few months, intensely working out with the hopes of restoring their pre-Thanksgiving figures. But most of them quit by early spring only to repeat the cycle over again the next year.
“It happens every year. We see a big jump in our business – almost a 20 percent rise – from the end of December to the middle or end of February,” said Rick Espinosa, who owns Planet Fitness in Gilroy. “Then after five or six months, the activity dwindles down. Some continue to work out and some go for good.”
Espinosa, who has also been a personal trainer for years, says that the real key to success is not dieting and exercising but changing habits altogether so that those activities become automatic.
“We want the people to develop good habits that stick with you for the rest of your life,” he said. “I’d say about one-third stick it out but everyone is different.”
According to Espinosa, the common practice of losing weight, gaining it, and then dieting again is actually worse on the body than staying overweight for a long period of time without constant up-and-down fluctuation.
“It’s unhealthy to go up and down,” Espinosa said. “Increasing your weight 10, 15 and 20 pounds, working it off and getting it back on is very unhealthy for the body.”
The stories are similar at gyms throughout the area.
At Gold’s Gym in Hollister they always see a spike in enrollment this time of year.
“We absolutely see a spike in the amount of people who want to work out,” said Gold’s Gym General Manager Karen Fortino. “Unfortunately it only lasts about two months and then it stops. I think a lot of people want to bring their spring clothes out.”
Her colleague agreed.
“Memberships pick up a lot right now,” said Greg Valenzuela. “Most of the people stay a few months and then they don’t come anymore. I don’t have any statistics on the actual numbers but it’s definitely noticeable.”
Although most sign up to drop the holiday pounds, some come in to get back into shape for the new year.
Roxanne Scott, who works next to Planet Fitness in Gilroy, signed up to lose some excess pounds she gained after giving birth to her daughter a little more than a year ago.
“I’m trying to get back into shape for the summertime,” Scott said. “I didn’t do it for a resolution.”
But most do this time of year.
At Rovella’s Athletic Club in Hollister, the staff is required to work longer hours to accommodate the increase in demand this time of year.
“We always get busy at the beginning of the year,” said Stephanie Castro, who works at Rovella’s front desk where she handles a number of new membership sign-ups. “It’s pretty high right now.”
And it starts before Christmas.
“A lot of people will come in starting in early December and even if they aren’t going to join themselves they buy gift certificates. We sell a lot of gift certificates that time of year,” Castro said.
The increased business at the start of the New Year hangs on until about April or May before a lull hits. Then it starts to pick up again in late May when “people want to look good for summer,” Castro said. Business drops again in the fall before the big push after the holidays.
Most workout facilities in the area require an initial sign-up or processing fee and then charge a month dues.
For example, at Gold’s Gym in Hollister that fee is $59 to enroll and $34 a month. Planet Fitness runs $50 for the initiation and $35 per month. Rovella’s requires an initial payment of $75, which includes the first month of workouts and then is $37 per month for an individual membership.
“We want to teach people to change their habits and live a healthy lifestyle,” said Espinosa. “It’s all about getting into the right habits.”
