On a cold January morning in Mayur Vihar, east Delhi, Molton The Fitness Lounge is already alive with motion. Treadmills hum in unison, dumbbells rise and fall in practised rhythm, and trainers weave through the floor, correcting grips and adjusting strides. Breath fogs the mirrors. Music thumps softly in the background.
It is a familiar scene across gyms in Delhi every New Year, one fuelled by fresh resolutions and renewed motivation. January, gym owners say, is when fitness feels possible again.
But the buzz rarely lasts.
“January records the sharpest spike in enrolments every year,” says Neha R, manager at Molton gyms. “We see a 30–35% increase compared to other months, but it’s more about short-term intent than long-term commitment.”
Across Delhi, gyms – from neighbourhood fitness centres to national chains – tell a similar story: a January surge, a February drop-off, and a slow recovery only once the weather warms and routines settle.
The cost of motivation
On average, gym memberships in Delhi cost around ₹8,500-10,000 for six months, while one-year packages with personal training range between ₹15,000 and ₹18,000. Pre-booking offers and discounted New Year packages make signing up easy, but converting those sign-ups into sustained attendance remains a challenge.
“Despite advance payments, a significant number of January members stop coming within the first few weeks,” says Neha. “The excitement fades quickly.”
By February, footfalls thin noticeably. Trainers say missed sessions have become the norm, and treadmills that were once fully occupied lie empty during peak hours. Several members cited long work hours and cold weather as reasons for irregular attendance.
“Retention is where the real test lies,” says Ashish, a gym trainer with over five years of experience. “By February, nearly half the new members start missing sessions. The ones who stay are those who set realistic goals and build habits — not those chasing rapid weight loss.”
Chains aren’t immune
A few streets away, even large chains like Cult Fitness face the same January-resolution paradox: high intent, low follow-through.
Rahul Kumar, who joined at the start of the year, works with a US-based client and schedules workouts in the afternoon, before his evening work hours. He says pacing, rather than intensity, has helped him stay consistent.
“I have a trainer who understands my limits,” says Rahul. “I take breaks when needed to not push too hard.”
“The footfalls this January were lower than expected,” says Mohit Chawla, a supervisor at Cult Fitness WHERE. “Out of nearly 1,000 active users, only about 60 joined, specifically keeping the New Year in mind. Interest comes easily in January, but consistency usually becomes clear only by February.” While enrolments saw a nearly 40% spike driven by premium half-yearly and annual plans, attendance began turning sporadic by January mid itself.
February: the drop-off month
February is when gyms attempt damage control. Owners roll out discounts, slash three-month plans by nearly 20%, and add complimentary classes like yoga or Zumba to pull people back in.
Smaller neighbourhood gyms echo the same concern.
“There is an increase in January, and many people sign up for six-month or annual plans,” says Mansi Chauhan, manager of HypeTheGym, WHERE. “But a large number stop coming after a few weeks. People blame the cold weather or lack of time. Resolutions fail, attention drops. We can only guide people so much — ultimately, it’s about showing up.”
Morning batches, typically between 6 am and 9 am, attract fewer January sign-ups but show higher consistency. Evening slots, especially after 7 pm, draw the bulk of New Year enrolments - and see the fastest drop-off.
Why motivation fails
Psychologists say the January–February cycle has little to do with fitness and more to do with flawed approaches to behaviour change.
“New Year resolutions depend heavily on external motivation, which fades quickly,” says Dr. Anagha P, a Delhi-based sports and behavioural psychologist. “People chase rapid weight loss or visible transformation without preparing for the time and discomfort involved.”
January enthusiasm, she says, often replaces planning. “Motivation is unstable; habits aren’t. When results don’t come quickly, effort is mistaken for failure, and people disengage.”
Time of day further shapes consistency. Morning workouts reduce decision fatigue by removing choice early. “By evening, after work stress and repeated decisions, self-control drops,” Dr. Mehta says.
Cold weather compounds the problem, making initiation harder and comfort easier to choose.
Those who stay
For some, consistency eventually replaces motivation. Rishita Khanna, who has been working out regularly for the past eight months, says the lesson came early. “Motivation is always temporary,” she says in between sets. “Discipline is what keeps you coming back, even on days you don’t feel like it.”
Gym owners say this discipline usually emerges by mid-March, when longer days and warmer temperatures make routines easier to sustain.
“From March onwards, attendance stabilises,” Neha says. “By April, enrolments are nearly 40% higher than off-season months - but these are members who understand fitness as a process, not a resolution.”
As January fades and February thins the crowd, Delhi’s gyms quietly return to normal - waiting, once again, for the next wave of hopeful resolutions.