New Year New Me! People in Suffolk setting goals for 2023 could boost business
For many, this is a time focused on health and fitness
The New Year is often a time for many people in Suffolk to set resolutions and for many, this is the gym.
We've been speaking to Llyod Chapman and Matt Brennan, who are both personal trainers locally, to see what people should keep in mind if they are starting their fitness journey.
Llyod told us "My first approach would be, to make sure if you're coming to me to work with me, it wouldn't be just a quick fix.
"It's an investment in yourself and your health.
"So getting that point across foremost is key for me. It's really quite ideal.
"So as I say that's the main driver I put behind making sure my membership base or client base, will potentially increase over January/February time."
Matt Brennan said they usually see an increase in the amount of people heading to the gym in January: "Normally we have an influx of people in January, normally later in January when the next payday comes around for people after Christmas who have spent their money.
"But toward the late January we do get quite a big influx of people.
"This year we've been seeing more people get a head start in December."
Matt also told us why he thinks fitness is one of the main resolutions in the New Year: "I think people have reflected. 'next year is going to be all about me.'
"What better time to start, than the start of the year?
"I think people are setting their goals whether its weight loss, whether its a challenge, climbing a mountain or running a marathon.
"Goals are very important as far as I am concerned."
Llyod wants people to be careful with how they get started come January: "(People are) putting a time and a date to let themselves go off the rails essentially and then to go back into it again.
"It gives anybody the kind of opportunity to indulge knowing that they're going to start the healthier lifestyle later on.
"It's nice to have that but it's not entirely healthy and plus it makes the start of the new process of getting fitter a little bit more difficult."
We also asked whether or not they thought the cost-of-living crisis would be impacting whether or not people would be attending the gym. Matt told us.
"So far we haven't really noticed it, we haven't had anyone leave and say it's because of the cost of living.
"I think people see health and fitness as a necessity.
"Maybe 10-15 years ago people saw it as a luxury but now it's a necessity for many people so I think its quite high up in people's priorities."