New Year 2025: Tips for turning resolutions into year-long habits

DELRAN, N.J. - A new year, a new you is the theme of every January. As people plan their goals for the start of a new year, spikes in gym membership hit, with folks vowing to have a healthier lifestyle.

Fitness fanatic, Stephen Everett said, "I think anybody who makes a resolution it’s a good start. Four years ago. I made the resolution I had to get myself in shape. I got the eight-year-old to chase around but now it’s part of my regular every day."

Regular, every day – that’s what fitness experts say is the key to keeping a resolution. Start a program and stick with it.

Trainer Mallory Fuhrmeister explained, "We tell our clients to make changes that they’re gonna be able to stick with and not too restrictive. We don’t want to be too over the top. If we can’t stick with it for life, the results won’t stick either."

Trainers know they get a slew of new clients this time every year. But, for people who join, trainers want to see them at the gym.

"When people know you care about their goals, they’ll come back," Edge Fitness GM Mark Bradley commented.

Bradley admits physical fitness is second nature for him, saying, "I came out of the womb doing push-ups. Ask my mom."

But, he knows most people need motivation and accountability. Some members need no reminders, or resolutions. They know being fit should be a primary focus for physical, emotional and spiritual wellness.

Terrane Polnitc trains five days a week. He said, "I say that to everyone. You have to stay in the gym and be consistent. If you want results, you have to work at it."

From seasoned athletes, to a child with some insight, eight-year-old Branson Everett has a plan, "It’s like when you have a resolution, you go to the gym."

Fitness experts all say a healthy diet, regular workouts and community at the gym will help people keep their resolutions.