Illinois' New Gym Membership Law In 2025 Is Ready For Resolutions

Let the lazy unite!

If there's a cleanse season after the holidays, then this is the clog season. Give us all of the yummy carbs, sweets, booze, and whatever snacks are at our parties or family gatherings. We know that, to whatever extent, a lot of us are going to resolve to drop a few pounds after the holidays and make our "winter arc" (as TikTok is calling it) a healthy time.

I quit with New Year's resolutions years ago. Sure it feels empowering at the time but they don't last. The Fisher College of Business found that 43% of people give up on New Year's resolutions by the end of January. Only 9% of Americans that make resolutions actually stick with them to completion.

A New Illinois Law Is Ready For You

via GIPHY

New in 2025 in the state of Illinois is HB4911, which says that gym memberships may be canceled over the phone, online, or via email. You don't have to have that embarrassing trip to the gym in person to cancel it in March after you've officially given up.

Of course, some gyms already let you cancel virtually or over the phone but many gyms still want you to do it in person. And there's no walk of shame quite like it.

This is another reason why you should check your gym membership contract. It will often say the gym's policy on cancelation.

The law also says that if you quickly decide you're done with a gym, you could get a refund:

the contract may be cancelled by the customer within 3 business days after the first business day after the contract is signed by the customer, and that all monies paid pursuant to said contract shall be refunded to the customer.

Should we continue to consistently workout after January? Obviously. Will we? Likely no.