BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – At the start of 2023, a number of people are making resolutions and fitness is at the top of many a list.

Crunch Fitness says this time of the year is their ‘Superbowl.’ Memberships are already up, which seems to be kicking off what Crunch hopes is a fresh start in 2023.

Crunch Fitness General Manager Robert Summerfield said, “Typically we see a 300% increase over the course of January compared to a normal month for us.”

Gyms are packed with people checking off their fitness goals for the new year.

“If you start the year right and you form those habits early, then those habits tend to carry on. Of course, some folks are going to fall off. But our goal was to get as many as possible to maintain that healthy lifestyle,” Summerfield said.

Summerfield also said this wasn’t quite the case during the height of the pandemic.

“It’s tough. We were in that period where you didn’t want to be 6 feet from everyone else. Certainly, wearing your mask when you work out is not enjoyable at all,” he added.

Virtual fitness classes continue to dip and the number of in-person visits continues to rise.

Summerfield explained, “We are seeing a heavy shift in the brick-and-mortar gym industry because the social aspect is what everyone misses. 2022 was certainly a lot better than 2020 and 2021. 2023 I think is going to be even better for everyone.”

But a few things that were implemented in the past are here for the long haul.

“We probably tripled the amount of cleaning stations we have in a typical gym space. Of course we still have hand sanitizer at the front for people. And then on top of that, we have cardless check in system,” he said.

Summerfield believes there are more people involved in fitness now than pre-pandemic.

“You’ll see everyone from our high school athletes to our senior citizens class. And that’s where the biggest change comes. Our age base has gotten larger,” he said.

Crunch Fitness also has a few tips to help you become more consistent in your fitness journey.

  • 1. Get a gym buddy: Having a gym buddy keeps accountability when visiting the gym and sticking to a new workout schedule.
  • 2. Be incremental: Adding positive ‘micro-habits’ can help easily turn ‘change into routine.’
  • 3. Write it down: Journaling can assist in meeting New Year’s goals through the act of simply listing them out, which helps make them tangible and actionable.
  • 4. Ask for guidance: Personal Trainers can be a great resource for first-time gym goers. Certified personal trainers create custom programs to help anyone reach their goals. The programs are designed 100% around the new member, which in return tracks results leading to successfully accomplishing goals.