Do Gym Resolutioners Stay Through the Year?

Some students can hold the weight of their new year resolutions, while others drop them and start running—away from the FitRec that is. 

Regular gym goers—also known as “gym bros,” “gym gals” or “gym rats”--notice an influx of new people coming into the FitRec at the start of the year, whom many of them label “resolutioners.” The term gets thrown around the most in January once students come back to the FitRec after Christmas break, whether it’s their regular routine or they’re just starting out. 

“I think the fullest I’ve ever seen the gym has been this past January, easily,” said junior Gage Goodyear. 

Resolutioners might be spotted when they start going to the gym during a new year, though they’re just as notorious for their tendency to put their dumbbells back on the rack as time goes on. 

“Some people kind of use the gym and resolutions as a fad that they do every year. It’s like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s the new year, so I have to do a resolution, so let me try and better myself—and they forget about it,’” said senior Micah Waid. 

Waid started going to the gym consistently about a year ago; he and his gym buddy—junior Ricky Pepper—both say they notice a higher volume of people coming into the FitRec once January rolls around, though they were surprised when they found out the increase isn’t as substantial as they think. 

Comparing data collected from both the 2024-25 and the 2025-26 school year by the FitRec ID scanners, the highest number of students coming to work out isn’t in January. 

On a month-by-month basis, Beaman, Hewlett, the climbing wall and group fitness all show September to be the month where the most individuals are at those respective fitness spaces for both school years. 

Though the Beaman and Hewlett gyms don’t show that they have the most individuals in attendance in January, there is still truth to the greater number of people noticed by regulars. 

The second-highest number of individuals went to the Beaman in January for the 2024-25 school year and to Hewlett this year; for every other fitness space, the second-highest number of people showed up during other months. 

Jamie Zeller, assistant dean of students and director of fitness and recreation, has seen how attendance at the FitRec fluctuates for 22 years; he said that the high numbers in September are reflective of students’ semester workloads that haven’t yet reached their full swing. 

Numbers at the FitRec taper once students acclimate to their new semester and schedule; Zeller said that seasonal changes are also a factor to consider. 

“You have to remember that during the January and February time period, you can’t do anything outside. It’s just too cold, and those people that are running outside and exercising or walking now can’t... It just so happens to be that they're coming inside to be able to do that,” said Zeller. 

The data from the 2024-25 school year shows an 8% decrease at the Beaman gym and a 6% decrease in individual attendance at the Hewlett gym from January to March; this could be due to lost motivation from resolutioners or because more students are participating in outdoor activity. 

Be it weather, scheduling or individual motivation, many reasons can affect why students may or may not stick to their fitness goals.  

Endurance looks different for everyone, and the body’s need for healthy limits holds the same weight as putting in the physical work.  

The fine line differentiating someone from being a resolutioner and a gym rat can be how realistic their goals actually are. 

“If you have never gone to the gym consistently before, and you say, ‘Okay, I’m going to go three to four times a week for six months, you’re going to end up burning yourself out mentally,” said Pepper, “Give yourself some grace. When you’re forming a habit for the first time, especially a healthy habit, it’s not easy.” 

Resolutioners at Belmont exist, but on a smaller scale than regulars think. Whether it be setting realistic expectations of themselves or switching up their routine, there’s a way for them to keep consistent reps throughout the year. 

This article was written by Georgina America