On the Katy Trail in Dallas Thursday people were already busy trying to make sure their fitness and financial New Year's resolutions don't clash.
For Elliot Goodwin, that means a bike ride with his daughter rather than hours on the stationary bike at the gym.
"Get fit, lose some weight and save some money," Goodwin said. "There's no tollbooth on the Katy Trail, so this was a good place to start."
Suzan Kendron suggests another way to cut costs and stay on track.
"I got rid of my trainer and got into a running group," Kendron said.
She now runs every morning with four of her friends. They email and call each other with encouragement, which personal trainer Tana Mossa said is critical to long-term success.
"There are going to be days where you're not going to want to do it and your partner will, so basically you have to catch each other," Mossa said.
January is typically the busiest month of the year for fitness centers and with the bad economy, they're pulling out all the stops.
Ryan Miller, with Gold's Gym in Dallas, said this month the company is waiving its $150 membership fee and adding all kinds of perks.
"They get 50 free downloads they can put on their iPod," he said. "We also give them three months free to diet.com to help out with the nutrition side of things."
Experts agree the real key to long-term success is sticking with whatever workout routine you choose. Otherwise, you'll end up making the same resolution again next year.
