Local fitness expert provides tips on how to achieve New Year’s fitness resolutions

After taking part in holiday celebrations, some are turning their attention to 2025.

According to a Pew Research survey, 78% of New Year’s resolutions focused on health, exercise or diet goals in 2024. Marie Jay, the general manager at Anytime Fitness in Columbia, said a significant amount of people hit the gym in January.

“This is our busiest time of year, for sure. It’s just the hopes and dreams of people for the new year,” Jay said. “It’s not even just weight loss anymore. We’ve had a lot of clients coming in wanting to be stronger or improve their muscle tone. We have a lot of clients over 50, looking to work on their bone density and balance.”

Some members at the Columbia gym, including Wes Seidt have their eyes set on staying active in 2025.

“As I get older, I just want to be active with cardio and lifting weights,” Seidt said.

After going to Anytime Fitness for over a decade, Seidt said he has developed a consistent workout routine.

“I make time to come to the gym, so it’s a priority of mine to make sure I get plenty of exercise in,” Seidt said.

However, while many head into 2025 following the adage, “new year, new me”–actually maintaining that mindset for 365 days can be difficult. Seidt said he tends to see more traffic in the gym at the start of the year.

“There’s an initial ramp up at the beginning of the year, then it kind of levels out,” Seidt said.

A study from Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business shows almost half of people quit their resolution by the end of January. Meanwhile, only 9% actually complete their goal.

Jay said a few common pitfalls often prevent people from achieving their resolutions, including not having support from friends and family or failing to make a plan.

“They may have a goal of losing 20 pounds,” Jay said. “That’s fantastic, but how do we do that? How do we break it down into everyday items we can check off the list?”

Jay said there are a few key steps residents can take that can help set them up for success.

“Having a support system at home,” Jay said. “Whether that’s a friend or family member that helps you meal prep, or coworkers that know you’re planning to pack a healthy lunch.”

Additionally, she said if residents create a plan that fits their schedule, achieving their goals is possible. Jay added it is important to keep track of progress.

“What we measure and what we track, we can manage,” Jay said.

To help with this process, Jay said staff at the Columbia Anytime Fitness provide classes, one-on-one coaching and individual training opportunities for members.