Everybody Joins in January: The Fitness Rush Marketers Can’t Afford to Miss

January’s Fitness Surge: Why Demand Spikes and Why It Matters for Marketers

Every January, millions of Americans commit to improving their health, and the fitness industry feels the impact immediately. Early 2025 data shows that US gym visits increased 21.2% from December 2024 levels as the resolution season began, a surge only slightly below the prior year’s 23.4% jump and a clear indication that seasonal motivation remains predictable. January alone accounts for 12% of all annual gym memberships, compared to an average of 8.3% per month, resulting in a 25–30% increase in new enrollments across gyms and studios nationwide.

The market continues to expand. US gym memberships reached 77 million in 2024, supporting $45–$46 billion in industry revenue, according to industry analyses, indicating sustained consumer interest in fitness and wellness. Today, nearly 19% of the US population belongs to a gym, reinforcing a cultural shift toward year-round health priorities that peaks sharply each January.

For marketers, this annual surge is a signal to act. January attracts the highest-intent consumers of the year, who are actively searching for solutions, tools, and memberships. It’s the moment when brands can build momentum, demonstrate value, and differentiate themselves from competitors. And because these consumers also spend more time at home and on TV during the December holidays, the month creates a rare alignment between demand and media consumption. For fitness brands, it’s the most strategic window to command attention across the screen.

The Retention Problem: Why Brands Must Act Fast & Stay Visible

Even though January brings a surge of motivated consumers into gyms, keeping those members engaged remains the industry’s central challenge. While 19% of Americans hold a gym membership, only 44–50% of those visit at least twice a week indicating early signs of inconsistency, even during peak season. The drop-off comes quickly: 50% of new January members quit within six months, and 14% cancel before the end of the first month, evidence of how fragile resolution-driven behavior can be without sustained reinforcement.

Yet early-year momentum is real and valuable. The Health & Fitness Association’s 2025 trends report indicates that visit frequency in Q1 remains significantly higher than in any other quarter, providing brands with a brief period when consumers are primed to form new habits. Even with this elevated activity, the churn curve is steep: 80% of resolution joiners drop off within five months, despite January being the highest revenue month for sign-ups across the fitness sector.

Membership economics raise the stakes. With average monthly fees ranging from $40 to $70, brands often rely on January promotions and early-year engagement to offset predictable attrition. The HFA Tracker reports a 3.5% year-over-year increase in visits in early 2025, reinforcing that interest is rising, but so is competition for attention and loyalty.

For marketers, this means acting quickly and staying visible throughout the January-March period. Resolution-driven consumers don’t just need inspiration to sign up; they need consistent reminders that reinforce identity, motivation, and routine. TV plays a central role here. Its reach and repetition help brands stay present during the crucial weeks when habits are most vulnerable to slipping. January drives the sign-ups, but strategic visibility, particularly on TV, helps sustain engagement.

Where January Starters Actually Are: How TV+ Locates and Reaches Fitness Audiences

Fitness brands invest heavily in advertising, yet TV remains an underused lever at the moment when consumers are making meaningful, identity-shifting decisions. Industry analyses estimate that the US fitness and wellness sector spent $600–700 million on advertising in 2024 across digital, social, TV, and influencer channels. Although digital captured the largest share, TV still represented 20–25% of overall budgets, or roughly $100–150 million, aimed at reaching broad, high-intent audiences.

With Simulmedia’s TV+ platform, fitness marketers can see exactly who their “January starters” are, where they watch, and how they behave across every screen. Instead of relying on broad demographics or assumptions, TV+ analyzes real viewing patterns, enabling brands to reach people when motivation is highest and attention is most available.

For one national fitness client, TV+ identified a clear segment of January-intending consumers - individuals exploring new wellness routines, adjusting their daily habits, and increasing their time spent with TV content. The data from the platform shows how this audience distributes its viewing across linear and streaming, which networks and apps they prefer, and which dayparts deliver the strongest reach and engagement. The charts included below illustrate this through audience composition, platform usage, top networks and publishers, and peak viewing hours.

Data from TV+ Platform

This level of insight helps fitness brands win in January. TV+ reaches every type of viewer, linear-only, streaming-only, and cross-platform, by placing ads where high-intent consumers already spend their time. It replaces intuition with evidence, ensuring January campaigns stay targeted, efficient, and aligned with real behavior during the most competitive month of the year. And even if the month has already started, it isn’t too late to move. With TV+, fitness brands can launch a fully optimized January campaign in as little as 10 days, capturing resolution-driven demand while it’s still at its peak.