January’s promise of a fresh start can make joining a gym feel like the beginning of a different life. Maintaining that commitment through work deadlines, family responsibilities, and disappointing weeks is a harder proposition. As the fitness industry prepares for another season of resolutions, I believe it should reconsider what it offers people beyond the prospect of a different body.
The Health & Fitness Association’s 2025 benchmarking report found an average annual member retention of 66.4 percent among participating operators. Its sample covered 175 companies across 27 countries. That figure does not establish why people leave or measure January dropouts, but it gives operators reason to look beyond membership sales and consider what encourages people to stay.
My concern is that when fitness is presented primarily through appearance and rapid transformation, participation can become conditional on visible results. Someone may be building a useful routine yet feel disappointed because the mirror has not delivered what they expected. The industry should give that person more reasons to return.
I believe building supportive communities should be central to that effort. Wanting to change one’s appearance is a legitimate personal goal. But it should not be the only measure of progress, or the price of feeling welcomed.
My experience as a former NCAA D1 college soccer player and personal trainer has shaped how I think about this distinction. Rather than beginning with how quickly someone can achieve a six-pack, I would begin with the kind of life they want their fitness to support. Running with a child or joining a sibling for soccer gives exercise a purpose beyond comparison.
That shifts the conversation toward identity, but identity must leave room for ordinary life. Being someone who values movement should not require organizing every day around the gym. I would rather help someone plan two or three manageable weekly visits than encourage a schedule they already doubt they can maintain.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
