Alexandria Walker, a mother of three, struggled to find time to go to the gym.
After being hired as a child care provider at Fitness Factor in the fall, she felt inspired by the older women she’d see come in regularly to exercise, she said.
“Around the new year (I made it) more of a committed thing,” Walker said. “I’m going to stop saying, ‘Maybe I’ll go.’ … (I’m) going to get more motivated and be more consistent with the new year.”
Since the new year, Walker has begun exercising at the gym daily. She said she already looks and feels better, so she plans to keep up the regimen.
“I’ve seen a difference where I (have) more energy,” Walker said. “I (have also been) able to think more clearly.”
Walker isn’t the only one who started on a new health goal in the new year, said Salem Gibson, director of operations for Reimagine Fitness. The business, which includes Fitness Factor, Core Fitness and W8 RM in Columbus, has seen an influx of about 200 new members join their gyms since Jan. 1, Gibson said.
Gyms around the Golden Triangle, including CLUB4 Fitness in Starkville and the Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA in Columbus, have also seen dozens of new members combined looking to be healthier in the new year.
Gibson said he’s seen members joining for reasons ranging from general health benefits to getting ready for an athletic goal like a marathon this year.
“People are … finding motivation to want to make changes in their life,” Gibson said. “Whether that’s therapeutic, (because) the gym can be a release for people to get away. It can also be a place for them to achieve goals, ambitions and targets. … There’s endless possibilities of reasons why people want to stay fit and healthy.”
Gibson said an influx in new gym memberships in January is typical, though there tends to be a decline by February because people aren’t seeing immediate results from the work they’ve put in.
“We’re … results driven people,” Gibson said. “… And so what we’ve noticed is the people that stay the longest are the ones that really plug in. … The monotony of sometimes just working out and feeling like you have to come can ruin someone if they’re not seeing those results. And I see that a lot. If I was a basketball player and I took 100 free throws a day, I would expect to be better at free throws.”
To that end, Gibson said, getting past the first two weeks is critical to sustained success.
“The hardest part is those two weeks and then it just becomes a part of you,” Gibson said. “Because you go, ‘Oh man, my energy levels are up. (I’m) sleeping better. (I) feel good. I feel confident. Those two weeks sucked getting into the swing of things, but now I kind of miss it if I’m not there.’”
Over in Starkville the CLUB4 Fitness gym has seen about 30 to 40 new members since the start of 2026, General Manager A.K. Humphries said.
Humphries said the growth has increased the gym’s overall membership by about 5%, and she expects membership to remain steady since the gym focuses on ensuring it’s a space that will work for someone new.
“(We give out a) three-day free trial for people that are interested in joining the gym but not sure if they’re wanting to fully commit yet,” Humphries said. “We give them the three days to come in, explore the gym, explore their options and if they have any questions, or if they need any help, we’re here for them.”
The Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA and the Caledonia YMCA, since Jan. 1, have seen the addition of 51 new and returning memberships, said Cynthia Mutch, membership and marketing director.
This increased overall membership by about 2% for the organization and is a typical growth the Y sees each January, Mutch said.
Mark Pritchett, who started as the Y’s executive director this month, said his experience at other YMCAs shows new members tend to taper off after about three months because they don’t set realistic and attainable goals.
“You don’t start running three miles on day one,” Pritchett said. “You actually start walking twice around a track, and you’re probably walking and trying to keep a pace for a certain amount of time. I think all exercise is that way – you start off with small goals, and then you become successful in those goals, and then they add to bigger goals, and then you continue to refine them.”
Pritchett said even if someone doesn’t consistently go to the gym, getting active outside, eating foods like fruit, drinking more water and getting proper amounts of sleep are great ways to continue building on a New Year’s resolution to be healthier.
Gibson agrees.
“Health and wellness is all around us,” Gibson said. “… We’ve got to find ways. (Joining) walking clubs. They have online classes now that you can do and stream live on your phone, which is really cool. And so we live in a world now where, no matter where you’re at, you have access to the knowledge of what fitness is for you and what you can do.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
