In health clubs around the country it’s something the staff are used to – a busy start to January which quickly fades as the days start to get longer.

Julie Puttock, duty manager at DW Sports and Fitness in Ranelagh Road, said staff there had already noticed a drop-off in the number of people visiting the gym.

She said: “Staff in gyms are used to this. At the start of January lots of new people pile in but by the third or fourth week of the month they aren’t coming quite so often.

“We’re a new club, but I saw exactly the same thing at my previous club. The regulars always look forward to February because by then many of the new people have dropped out and they can get back on the machines without having to wait again!”

She estimated that about half the new members trailed off during January.

When we spoke to people in Ipswich, the usual new year’s resolutions suspects soon came up: quit smoking, lose weight, and get fit.

But in the current economic climate there seem to be a number of people who are resolved to look after their finances better as we head further into 2012.

Many people felt resolutions were unnecessary however, with Valerie Chisnall, 69, of Henslow Road, Ipswich, describing them as a “waste of time”.

Married couple Roy Knightsbridge, 65, and wife Roma, 57, of Holbrook agreed, saying that: “We had a brilliant year last year, so we don’t feel we need make any this year”.

However, Lauren Bestow, 24, of Hatfield Road, who works in Boots in the town centre, has vowed to lose weight in 2012, and has already shed half a stone.

She said: “All the staff (from Boots) have been great and given lots of encouragement!”

Suranga Alwis, 18, of Kesgrave, has pledged to give up smoking.

He has currently cut down to six a day, from a much higher daily amount in 2011, and hopes to have kicked the habit completely by the end of the year.

The toughest aspect of a resolution is seeing it through. Richard Wilson said he is so determined not to forget his resolutions that he has them written down on a card which he keeps in his wallet.

The 31-year-old from Cambridge said: “It keeps me on my toes every time I pay for something.”

Worldwide, people may be struggling with their new resolutions, however in Ipswich those who had committed to resolutions in the first place still seem to be sticking with them.

n Have you made any resolutions? Are you keeping up with them?

Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or send us an e-mail to starletters@archant.co.uk