RESOLUTE RECRUITS HIT REVOLVING GYM DOOR.

Byline: Andrea Damewood The Register-Guard

Gym employees see it at the start of every January: lines for the treadmill, packed weight rooms, people huffing and puffing earnestly on the StairMasters.

The crowd may be thinner just two weeks later, but many of the gym's new members won't be. They quit, groaning with muscle pain and growling with hunger pangs, victims of their own lofty ambition.

"A lot of times, people are so gung-ho that they burn themselves out and we never see them again," said Nicholas Bocanegra, fitness consultant and personal trainer at Courtsports in Springfield. "People want to lose 20 pounds by the second week of January, and that's just not feasible."

Far and away the most popular New Year's goal in the United States, getting in shape and losing weight eludes many because they don't set realistic goals, health and fitness experts say.

While losing 50 pounds is a commendable goal, focusing on the first 10 or so may be a better bet, said Linda King, Weight Watchers general manager for Southwest Oregon.

Even meeting a daily goal, such as eating five fruits and vegetables, will provide motivation.

Falling off the bandwagon every now and then is acceptable - just don't give up, she said.

"Food and sweets and alcohol are very much a part of our culture," King said. "Weight Watchers teaches you how to eat regular foods in moderation."

But the Christmas cookies have got to go.

"Eventually, you have got to say, enough is enough," she said. "You've tasted them, you know what they taste like."

Aspiring gym rats should also stick to the small stuff: Those looking to get fit can start with 30 minutes of cardiovascular work and a few circuits on the weight machines three times a week, Courtsports' Bocanegra said.

The two major times he observes people quitting come in the first week - when muscles are sore - and near the one-month mark, which is when working out becomes part of the routine ... or not.

Low-resistance machines, such as elliptical trainers, burn fewer calories but still elevate the heart rate and serve as a good first step, Bocanegra said.

"Bring some form of entertainment for doing cardio," he said.

"You don't want to feel like a hamster on a wheel."

And even better than a book or an iPod, finding a partner or group greatly increases the chances a dieter actually will be lighter come July.

The American Medical Association found that dieters who participated in groups were three times more likely to lose weight in the long term, King said.

"Having a workout partner is extremely important," Bocanegra said.

"It really is the case with a lot of people that if they feel accountable, they're a lot more likely to continue on."

Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken resolved last January to get in shape and drop pounds with his wife, Debbie; he's shed 25 pounds and she's lost about 21, he said.

"The nice thing about losing 25 pounds is the reaction from other people," Leiken said. "But most importantly, it's just a nice feeling for me."

The family joined L.A. Weight Loss and added fitness machines and weights to a room in their home, helping them integrate healthy habits into their daily routine.

"It was just about making sure you're consistent," Leiken said, "and we've done that."

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS Local health and fitness experts discuss how to follow through with shedding pounds in 2007. Baby steps: Keep goals small to create milestones Nicole Ritchie is so 2006: Don't starve and exercise at the same time; it leads to burnout You are not a hamster on a wheel: Bring entertainment along to the gym for cardio machines Don't diet alone: Enlist the help of friends or a group There's more to life than oranges and oatmeal: Include a variety of healthy foods in your diet.