ABOVE: Ever Hernandez works the leg curl machine at LiveFit Fairmont, one of a handful of gyms available in the Fairmont area for those looking to accomplish New Years resolutions.

FAIRMONT – With the new year right around the corner, many are thinking of New Year’s resolutions.

According to a survey by Statista Data Journalist Anna Fleck, 57 percent of U.S. respondents from a pool of 1,050 said they are making New Year’s resolutions. Of those who said they are, 51 percent said one of their resolutions is to eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight.

While many are, 43 percent of surveyed individuals said they are not making a resolution this year. Fairmont LiveFit Gym Co-owner Alex Schliesmann said he’s found resolutions to be a larger selling point in more populated areas instead of small towns.

“That’s a big sell for big city areas,” he said. “Here in small town rural Minnesota, I don’t think New Year’s resolutions are as big. I would think it’s a good starting point.”

While the gym doesn’t poll its users as to why they sign up, Schliesmann said January, February and March are their big membership sale months. He said he would attribute around half of that spike to New Year’s resolutions.

“Typically we gain about 30 members a month,” Schliesmann said. “We have seen January, February and March, anywhere from 70 to 90 (new) members in those months.”

Fairmont LiveFit Gym Co-owner Jenny Moeller said another big reason people come during these months specifically is because of the cold weather. Schliesmann said other avenues people would use for exercise get shut down during this time.

“They walk outside in the summer, or they’re busy on the water, or they go to their summer cabin,” he said. “Whatever the reasons are, the winter time pushes them inside, and that’s when they want their memberships.”

As far as their popularity overall, Schliesmann said it’s around the same levels he’s always seen. He himself has resolutions, generally surrounding positive habits or activities he’s dropped off of that he’d like to get back to. From his experience, Schliesmann said he’s found keeping realistic expectations an important piece of the resolution puzzle.

“If it’s 2025 and I’m going to lose 50 pounds [as a goal], that’s a pretty monstrous commitment,” he said. “There’s probably a reason why you have 50 pounds you want to lose. There’s probably a reason why that has become a problem for you. Now it’s become ‘Hey, I need to do something about this.’ If it’s too crazy or too hard of a resolution, it’s more likely to fall off.”

For more information, visit https://livefitfairmont.com/

Due to scheduling conflicts, Cutting Edge Fitness could not be consulted for this article. For more information on them, visit https://www.facebook.com/CuttingEdgeFitnessOfFairmont/