Each new year, Americans make resolutions to hit the gym and work off some extra pounds.

The Campus Recreation Center is now seeing the effects of those resolutions, said Office of Campus Recreation secretary Ebony Winfield, a junior finance major.

“By just looking around, you can tell more students are coming in now than before winter break,” she said. “I’d say the amount of people exercising in the Rec Center has almost doubled.”

Winfield said the best time to work out is when the Rec opens at 7 a.m.

Facility supervisor Steve Holtz, a junior management major, said the busiest time for the weight, cardiovascular and basketball areas is from 4 p.m. to closing time, 11 p.m.

“In a week or so, the pace will die down a little, but not that much,” he said. “We’re always busy.”

Chris Spitzzeri, a junior political science major, said he’s been training for the Chicago Marathon, which takes place Oct. 7, by running at the Rec Center.

“I’ve been running for a year and have seen a little bit of an increase in the last week,” he said. “People have a tendency to break their New Year’s resolutions, so I’d expect the number of people exercising to drop.”

MaryLou Gutierrez, a freshman business administration major, said she and a couple friends have resolved to work out more at the Rec Center.

“Realistically, we plan to work out about three to five times a week,” she said. “Since we haven’t made unrealistic goals, I think it should be easy to stick to our plan and make working out part of a lifestyle rather than a simple New Year’s resolution.”

Students can work out for free with a student ID, or they can buy passes costing anywhere from $5 to $50 to exercise in specific classes.

Fitness classes include Step Aerobics, Extreme Step, Cardio Jam, Boxin’ It, Power Pump, Hatha Yoga, Abs, Glutes and Thighs and Get Up and Dance. Spinning, a new cycling workout, is offered at least twice a day on weekdays.