If the gym fits, join it: 15 ways to keep your New Year's fitness resolution

DETROIT (MCT) - The snow has fallen, the holiday meals have piled up, and your exercise regimen has ground to a halt.

New Year's resolution season is in full swing, and it's past time to find a gym. You won't be alone in that quest.

January is a huge month for health clubs, with about a million people joining nationwide _ 50 percent more than during any other month of the year, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportclub Association.

That membership boom means most clubs offer some of their best specials and promotions this time of year, so it's a great time to join.

But what should you look for? A small club catering just to men, just to women or just to people who want 20-minute workouts? A gigantic Lifetime or LA Fitness all-inclusive club?

We asked fitness experts around the metro area to give their advice about what to look for when you're sizing up a club to join. Here's what they said:

Set goals. "The person needs to sit down and think about what their goals are and what their health history is," then pick a gym that fits that description, said Cliff Ewald, personal training coordinator at the Botsford Wellness Complex in Novi, Mich. Not all clubs are set up to handle people who have lower back pain, heart problems or diabetes, he points out. "That will help guide the way."

Pick something close to you. "It makes it a lot easier to go to the gym when it's only five minutes away," said Dr. Joseph Guettler, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

Make sure the hours work. "You want a gym you can go to before and after work," Guettler said. The time of day you work out can affect what kinds of people are at the gym, so you'll want to check that out.

"Go to the gym at the time you plan to be there, to see what the crowd is like," suggests Jeff Watters, personal trainer and owner of Motor City Bootcamp and Watters Performance Enhancement.

Try it out. "Every reputable gym should offer you a free, one-day pass to check everything out, with no strings attached," Watters said. While you're there, check out how many employees are watching the floor _ are most people there personal trainers working with their clients, or are general staff members available if you have a question or run into trouble?

Ask about child care, if you need it. There might be times you'll be able to work out, but will have your child or children with you. That shouldn't be an excuse not to go. Many large clubs have baby-sitting areas or supervised kids areas you can use for an extra charge.

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Is the club clean and in good repair? Check pads for cracks, machines for rust and dust and aerobic areas for cleaning stations that are stocked with disinfectants and sanitizers.

"Locker rooms are obvious, but check around the weight machines," Watters said. "If there are dust bunnies around them, they don't keep it that clean."

"It doesn't have to be brand-new," said John Vickers, assistant sports performance director at Velocity Sports Performance in Plymouth, Mich. "But if it looks new, it's being taken care of."

Check employee attitudes. "A lot of people look for good customer service," Vickers said. "When they walk into the gym, the workers have a smile on their faces and they know people by name."

Do you fit in? You'll stick with your workouts longer if you feel comfortable in the crowd at your new gym. When you walk in, look at who is working out: Are they like you in terms of age, fitness, dress? You'll probably feel at home if there is a wide variety of people or if most folks are like you.

Look for different equipment. "You want a gym with a variety of free weights as well as equipment," Guettler said. Most people will start with machines for strength training because they're easier to learn and safer to use, then they'll graduate to free weights. The same goes for aerobic machines such as bikes, treadmills, elliptical trainers and steppers.

"Gyms that have a variety of machines are a plus in my book," Guettler said. "Anything that can offer a person a variety of options."

It gives you a better workout and guarantees you won't burn out on a single exercise, he said.

Lots of classes equal lots of opportunities. Guettler suggested that a variety of classes are not only good for you, they're a good way to stay excited about your workout.

Some clubs offer team training, too, Vickers said _ a good way to stay motivated as you work out.

Watch for certifications. Certifications don't guarantee that fitness club employees are good trainer s, but at least they indicate the trainers have sought extra knowledge about their field and acquired some solid training in the fundamentals.

Names to look for, Ewald said: the American College of Sports Medicine, National Academy of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association and American Council on Exercise. Often their certifications will go by just their acronyms.

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Are classes included? Ask the staff what services are in your basic membership and what's going to cost you extra _ and how much.

What other services do members get? Many clubs offer free fitness evaluations, screenings, orientations and even some customized fitness programs to new clients. You might not hear about them unless you ask.

Avoid contracts. Our experts agreed that long-term gym contracts are becoming less common, a change they liked. Look for a club that will do short-term contracts or no contracts at all. Now many clubs allow you to pay with an ongoing monthly subscription and let you cancel your membership any time, with a certain amount of notice.

Ask for a better deal. Ewald says that at one point when he was trying to cut costs, he negotiated a better deal with his gym in which he was paying less and coming in on certain days. Many clubs offer discount programs if you work out only at particular times or on a set number of days _ and with the economy the way it is, "We're all going to be looking for those kinds of options," he said.
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HOW NOT TO FIZZLE OUT

So you're thinking about signing up for a gym. What can you do to make that healthy resolution last? We asked two of our experts for their best advice:

Jeff Watters, personal trainer and owner of Motor City Bootcamp and Watters Performance Enhancement in Ferndale, Mich.:

"Avoid the scale as a barometer for your progress. Something I've always done with clients that's worked well was to have them pick some sort of event to train for. Winter is a great time to find something fun to do in the spring.

Anyone should be able to get ready for a spring event if they start in January. Finding an event to train for will take the focus off numbers on a scale, giving you a better goal to train for. If you train as you should, the numbers will fall into place anyway."

Joseph Guettler, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.:

"Ease into it. If you start out full bore and you overdo it, you're not going back. Check with your doctor and make sure you're healthy enough to exercise. Invest in a personal trainer _ it sets up a regimen and keeps you coming back. Keep an exercise log. It tells people your track record and gives you goals to shoot for.

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Exercise with someone; it's a social outlet and can keep you going regularly. It can't just be about looking better. To keep going to the gym, you've got to think about the other perks of an exercise program: you're going to feel better and live longer."