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MARQUETTE -- It's a new year, and many are hoping to shed weight.

Local gyms say their January 1 spike in numbers disappears by the end of the month, and poor fitness and dieting plans from people hoping for a 'quick fix' could be to blame.

"The weight didn't come on in one month; you need to give yourself more than a month to take it off," says Ringside Personal Trainer Douglas Latvala.  "If you just look at, 'I need to lose 100 pounds or 30 pounds' or whatever it is, and if you don't do that the first month, the likelihood of you sticking around isn't very good."

Marquette General Hospital Dietitian Patricia Smith says losing more than two pounds a week, turning to diet pills or finding you're 'going without,' isn't realistic and could be dangerous.

"Anytime you're dieting, you want to be dieting in a way that is something you can maintain, which is another problem with the extremes," Smith says.  "It's usually not something you can maintain for a length of time."

But there are tricks people in the U.P. can use to enhance a healthy lifestyle.

Stay hydrated--drink as much water now as you would in the summer, despite below freezing temperatures.

Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D--our bodies get limited exposure to sun in long  U.P. winter months.

Even those who already lead active lifestyles aren't equipped to jump right into new activities, like cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, without proper training.

"Everyone is so excited this time of the year," says Mike Koskiniemi, Motions Fitness Owner.  "I'm going to start running on the treadmill.  I'm going to start eating right.  I'm going to lose all this weight, but what they neglect is the basics."

Most importantly, results come from a balance of nutrition and fitness.