Every year, my local gym offers huge discounts for new members who sign up in January. The cost savings are incredible. A lot of people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get in shape. They are eager to invest in a gym membership. They seem to believe that signing up is enough to ensure the accomplishment of their goals. Then they show up at the gym and discover that exercise takes a lot of time, energy and effort. For the first few months of the year, the gym is always crowded. Despite an inventory of a dozen treadmills, I frequently need to wait for one to be available. The new memberships aren’t always good about wiping down the machines when they are done. They don’t put the kettlebells, dumbbells, jump ropes or resistance bands away. They leave yoga mats all over the place and don’t know how to properly utilize the equipment. The group fitness classes fill up quickly. It’s difficult to find an empty locker, and there’s constantly litter and wet towels on the floor of the locker room. These new members are aggravating. However, less than ten percent of them continue showing up at the gym beyond one or two months. Some only last a week. While I realize that the gym needs a steady influx of income, I am very relieved when things get back to normal. I like sharing the gym with people who are truly dedicated to their health and fitness. I spend one to two hours at the gym five days per week. I am serious about my workout regimen.