As the excitement of a new year fades, the drive to stick with ambitious fitness resolutions often wavers, and the gym memberships purchased in early January feel less exciting by the end of the month. However, representatives of the St Andrew-based JYM Training fitness centre are urging those who may be having second thoughts about their fitness ambition to not give up.

Theon “Brown Boss” Davy, one of JYM’s personal trainers, who notes that many individuals join the gym for their physique, says new members become more engulfed into the fitness lifestyle the longer they stick around.

One of Davy’s clients, Danielle HoLung, supported his sentiment by sharing her own experience, noting that she began her fitness journey in preparation for a birthday trip. But what started as a short-term goal quickly turned into a lifestyle, she said.

“You get addicted to results. I feel once you start seeing yourself transform even just a little bit you just want to continue,” HoLung told Observer Online. “I feel like it’s a great form of discipline for myself so every time I don’t feel like coming to the gym. That’s the one thing I say, ‘girl, discipline is self-love’.”

Wendy Fletcher, the principal of JYM Training who said she started the fitness centre out of her love for exercise, said she gets a sense of purpose from witnessing the “transformation” of members. From her observation, there has been increasing focus on health and fitness post-pandemic.

“We’ve seen a lot of people signing up this year compared to last. People of all ages are becoming more health-conscious,” Fletcher said.

While JYM caters to “a couple hundred” members, Fletcher says the gym’s focus is on quality over quantity, prioritising the basics of fitness – cardio, weightlifting, and consistency – over trends.

“Trends are trends. You’ll have a pole dancing trend one year, you’ll have a Zumba trend another year, they’re all trends but nothing beats the all-time training,” Fletcher said. “We mix up our classes; sometimes we have spinning classes, we’ll do a kickboxing class, we’ll do different things but those to me are just trends, those are things that are in addition to your personal training so we don’t lean into it.”

JYM takes a personalised approach to fitness. Unlike an open gym setting where members go and figure out what works for them, Fletcher has built a system where every client receives a personal trainer, a tailored workout plan and a custom meal guide included in their package.

“It’s what keeps people coming back,” Fletcher explained. “When they see results, even small ones, it motivates them to keep going.”

Fletcher shares that the most common goals of new members include flat stomachs and bigger bottoms for women, while men focus on strength and muscle definition.

Known for his upbeat and motivational style, Davy helps clients set realistic goals and stick to them. He explains that results come down to your output as well as “body type, how consistent you are with your food, with weight training.”

HoLung today balances gym sessions with her daily life and credits Davy for helping her stay motivated.

“Health is wealth at the end of the day and we often would say work out for a longer lifespan but, for me, it’s for a better quality of life versus a longer life because you don’t want to be, God forbid, 60 years old or 70 years old and dependent on somebody,” she said, adding “You can be a 60 or 70 year old where you’re fully independent so that really equates to the quality of life, and being physically and mentally fit promote that quality.”

With January ending, Fletcher, Davy and HoLung have one piece of advice for those who are hesitant to start working out:

“Just get started!”