SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Health and wellness top the list of New Year’s resolutions with goals to lose weight, eat healthier, and exercise more, but keeping them can be the tricky part.
You may be planning to make your return to the gym or you’re already going consistently.
“I’m here at Lifetime five to six times a week,” said Chad Urlauv, a Lifetime Fitness member.
Either way, eating healthy and getting swole are the most popular New Year’s resolutions.
In fact, a Statista poll showed these goals make up 51% of New Year’s resolutions for 2025.
“We get one body, and I think health and wellness has a huge emphasis,” said Daryn Link, a coordinator at Lifetime Fitness.
She says they see an uptick in memberships between January and March with up to 70 new members around that time.
“Failing to plan is planning to fail,” she said about the people who come into the gym without a plan or goal.
While she showed FOX 5/KUSI around the gym, she advised people to set SMART goals, or resolutions that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound to see the most success in 2025.
“Sometimes people will come in here not having a plan, so my immediate recommendation is to go to a class,” she suggested.
Psychologist Michelle Bettin says small steps can make a big difference.
“Doing that new habit regularly for the first month will help it really become a part of your life,” she said.
Urlauv says he used to play volleyball in college and has seen that to be true since he made working out at the gym a regular part of his routine after graduating.
“It’s difficult to start, but once you get started, it does kind of snowball,” he said.
While the majority of people plan to make health a priority in the new year, most surprising data shows 43% of people don’t plan to make a resolution at all.
“My New Year’s resolution is to probably stop working out because I’m just too jacked at this point,” one San Diegan said.
Bettin adds making lifestyle changes and giving yourself some grace if you stumble along the way helps to make sure you end 2025 with the goals you put in place at the beginning of the year.
She says it’s all about staying consistent.