Shane Dickens, Recardo Hite and his 14-year-old son, Memphas, were hanging around a Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department gym this week.

“I’ve been a member here for 20 years,” Dickens said. “It was close to home and close to work. The price was right.”

Hite has also been a member for 20 years.

“I graduated in ’93,” he said. “I graduated at 195 pounds and then I jumped to 240 and decided I had to come to the gym. I had to do something to keep the weight off.”

Hite is a role model for his son, Memphas said. “I want to get big and strong like him,” he said.

For these three, fitness is a lifestyle, but the new year often means more people will be heading to the gym in an effort to get fit.

Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department Fitness and Wellness Supervisor Frank LaManna said from looking at reports from the holidays, “we have the traditional New Year’s rush.”

“It’s been a busy two weeks in the past,” he said. “We anticipate the next couple of weeks to be as busy if not busier.”

People have been busy over the holidays and realize their resolution begins now, LaManna said.

“A lot of people will say, ‘After the new year I’ll get back on my diet. After the new year I’ll exercise,’ ” he said. “Now they’ll have to put their money where their mouth is and start that commitment.”

Parks and recreation has treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals, exercise machines, free weights and various classes. Membership is $10 a month for ages 55 and older and $20 for ages 18 to 54. There are price discounts for children under 18. There are no contracts, initiation or maintenance fees. Members can freeze membership once a month. They can get four free appointments with an instructor.

Chris Talley, general manager at Work Out Anytime, said the gym sees a big surge of membership this time of year.

“We always look forward to this time of year. You always see people look forward to improve their health,” he said. “You’re going to look better, feel better. To see new people experiencing that is very refreshing.”

The amount of time people keep their memberships varies, Talley said.

“The average life span is eight to 10 months, but we have people who have been here since day one, so we do have people who stay because they enjoy it,” he said.

Members have 24-hour access to the cardio machines, selecterized machines and the free weights area. Basic membership is $15. For premium access, which is $25 a month, members can bring a guest and tan during staffed hours, have access to hydromassage beds, cardio cinema and the reeACT machine. Enrollment fee is $49 on basic. Enrollment fee for premium membership is $1 for the month of January.

At Total Fitness Connection, the New Year’s resolution “is still a real thing,” said gym co-owner Todd Mason, doctor of physical therapy.

“People want to get on the right foot about getting the exercise they need. We see an increased interest in new members and regular members who may not have been coming in as frequently,” he said. “Everybody always thinks about a new start. You see more people running on the road or running 5Ks. Plus, you come off the holidays. You’re coming off down time. You’re coming off holiday eating: ‘When it comes to January, I’m going to change my ways.’ The trick for us is to make sure to educate them and train them.”

In addition to exercise equipment, Total Fitness Connection offers a licensed therapist, certified personal trainers and a nutritional specialist, Mason said.

“We want to really be able to help someone where they’re at,” he said. “Whether they have things in their past like a heart condition or arthritis, losing weight can help those problems.”

Sometimes they have been able to help some people get off their medications through exercise and nutrition, Mason said.

“We coordinate with their medical doctor then he or she makes that decision,” he said.

Total Fitness Connection is also the only gym with aquatics, which is good for those who can’t tolerate traditional gym equipment, Mason said.

“We have a lot more education and professionalism with our staff. It’s not just treadmills. It’s not just equipment,” he said. “We don’t apologize for asking for people to make a commitment. At the end of the day, you can’t make a change unless you make a commitment.”

Membership costs vary.

Hite stresses that fitness is more than just working out.

“It starts in the kitchen. If everything you’re eating is not on point, it’s not going to help,” he said. “(Junk food) is going to make you feel lethargic. You don’t want to move.”

— Follow features reporter Alyssa Harvey on Twitter @bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.