At the beginning of the year, gyms are usually crowded with beginners trying to achieve their fitness goals. But this year, many avid gym-goers have found their gyms quite empty.
While some are happy to see empty gyms, others are taking to social media to see if anyone is still determined.
Below-freezing temperatures and snowstorms across the country may be to blame for fewer people using treadmills and stationary bikes in the first week of this year. Some predicted gyms would be full by mid-January.
But even in the third week of 2024, social media users were wondering why people weren't flocking to their gyms.
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Neil Paia is a certified exercise physiologist. Fellow of the American College of Sports MedicineMore broadly, he said he hasn't noticed a trend in declining gym attendance. He says the health clubs and studios he uses to train now have far more people than they did last month.
But Paia has some hunch as to why other gyms are looking a little deserted this month.
“Believe it or not, this is a little fast because it happens every week and you get a cumulative effect of new members, joining clubs and YMCAs, joining training studios.” Paia told CNBC Make It.
He explains that while there is a misconception that January is when most people start their New Year's resolutions towards fitness, February is actually the time to start getting fit.
“It doesn't really get uncomfortably crowded until February, so February is kind of the new January,” he says.
“It's busier, but it's not crazy yet. It's probably going to be crazy in the next couple of weeks.”
Pire points out that it's also important to consider that some people may need time to recover before returning to the gym after the holidays. This also applies to some patrons, he says.
“Finally, the old members are coming back.” [next month] Because they overindulged during their vacation. That's when you can really feel the difference. ”
Typically, people start focusing on their New Year's goals in February, and they can usually keep it up until March, but “then people start to fade away,” Paia says.
But don't be discouraged. By creating SMART goals, a framework that's been around since 1981, you can actually achieve the goals you set for 2024.
Make sure the fitness goals you're setting are:
- specific
- measurable
- achievable
- related
- There is a time limit
Paia also advises giving yourself some grace if you can't always go to the gym. ”[If] If you miss a day, get right back on the wagon the next week. ”
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