It’s a popular New Year’s resolution: Get in shape, go to the gym.

At the start of Winter Quarter, about 30 to 40 percent more people visited the Sports Pavilion and Aquatics Center, SPAC staff said.

Although the attendance spike isn’t anything new, this year’s cold weather prompted many students to abandon their vows earlier than usual.

“It’s mainly the New Year’s resolutions,” said Tadhg Martin, the facilities supervisor for SPAC, who has worked at the gym for

eight years. “(Students) come in after eating a bunch of food they shouldn’t have eaten over the holidays.”

More Evanston residents also joined students on the treadmills. SPAC sold more memberships in the beginning of January than the rest of last year, according to the membership office.

“It was definitely busier the first week we came back,” said Weinberg senior Amy Summers, who swipes WildCARDs at the front desk.

Increased attendance meant that the gym ran out of locks and towels almost every night early this quarter, Martin said.

Nina Johnson, a sociology graduate student who comes to work out almost every day, said more people have been clogging the treadmills and weight machines.

“Now every day there’s some kind of problem,” she said. “I’m hoping that the New Year’s resolution people kind of fall out soon.”

Gym attendance is returning to normal as resolutions fade and rush dies down, SPAC staff said.

“It waned faster than usual this year because of the cold,” said Martin.

Even Weinberg junior Jay Ward, a SPAC regular, said the freezing temperatures tempted him to stay at home.

“When it gets colder, it’s a little harder (to come to the gym),” Ward said.

Weinberg sophomore Jen Daniels said the crowds are beginning to wane.

“I had to wait a half hour (before),” she said. “But after a week or so, I was able to get a machine right when I walked in.”

Despite the weather, some students make it a point to travel to the North Campus center to sweat it out regularly.

For McCormick senior Lana Green, working out helps her pay attention later in the day during lecture. “When I was a freshman, I always fell asleep during my morning classes,” she said. “When you exercise, your energy levels during the day increase.”

And at a school like Northwestern, a workout gives students’ minds a much-needed break.

“This is the one time I don’t think about work, reading or papers,” said Johnson, resting her arms on the weight machine. “You just think about your body and clear everything else out.”

Reach Diana Oleszczuk at [email protected].