A line for the showers, no available locker (or parking spot!) in sight and a waitlist for the treadmill that's longer than the time you're allowed to spend on it. It must be January at the gym!
About 15 percent of people who make New Year's resolutions vow to get fit, WebMD reports. In many cases, that means shelling out for a new gym membership (or swearing to make better use of an existing one), which often results in packed locker rooms and long lines for ellipticals. "Usage can increase by 25 percent during January," Lisa Hufcut, director of public relations of New York Sports Clubs, told The Huffington Post.
But according to TIME, the crowds of "resolutionaries" usually drop off around mid-February, and 60 percent of gym memberships go unused.
If you're a regular gym-goer, the next few weeks can be frustrating, but at least you can assume that, come Valentine's Day, your fitness routine will pretty much return to normal. If you find yourself thrown off in the meantime, here are a few things you can do.
Gyms are often quiet midday, so if you can swing an early afternoon workout, you're likely to be able to nab your favorite elliptical, certified personal trainer Jason Anderson wrote for Spark People.
Ask at the front desk if your gym collects any data about when the location is its most crowded, and tailor your schedule to the less busy times.
The Tabata method is a great way to get in a lot of reps in a short amount of time, writes HuffPost blogger and personal trainer David Buer. For 20 seconds, do as many push ups, pull ups, burpees, mountain climbers, squat jumps or other plyometric moves as you can, rest for 10 seconds, then repeat up to eight times.
If you need a gentle reminder, check out more common gym etiquette faux pas here.
Befriending a new person at the gym could help you both keep the pounds off for longer. A 2011 study found that we may unknowingly alter our attitudes toward fitness and nutrition based on those of our closest friends, Scientific American reported. And exercising with a buddy is built-in motivation, according to Self.com.
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