'After the gym, waiting for them GAINS': 27 Gym memes for starting off 2026 strong

JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor

Jan 6, 2026 1:00 PM EST

We're a couple of days into 2026… have you given up on your New Year's resolution yet? It's okay if you have; we all know those are not meant to last. It's just a time when we get to reorient our goals and go into the year ahead with reinvigorated energy. Maybe you have specific targets in mind, or maybe it's just a vibe, but the point is, you're showing up for yourself a little bit more this year. Maybe you've decided to hit the gym more than you used to. Maybe you're trying to find an exercise routine that you actually like, and will therefore stick to. Maybe you're focusing on healthy, sustaining meals to power your journey along the way. It's the time of year when we're thinking a little more about self-care, and we're thinking more about how to make ourselves feel good. Maybe that means you're renewing your gym membership.

January is famously the time when the masses flock back to the gym after a week or two of much-needed holiday rest. Things have a way of getting pushed to the back burner at the end of the year. We have so much else to think about. We're gift shopping, cooking, flying to see family, and seeing how many Christmas cookies we can fit in our mouths. And this is all necessary stuff. But it's past the first of the year now, and we have a long stretch of not much to do, and no holidays to prepare for.

So back to the gym it is, with renewed fervor. We're climbing mountains on the treadmill and lifting boulders on the bench press. But we're probably needing a little bit of motivation to do so. We might turn to the internet in these moments, naturally. The internet is here to keep us checked in with our goals. And part of that is looking at relatable, inspirational memes. These memes know where you've been, where you're headed, and where you're at right now. They get what it's like to try to get out of bed the day after leg day. And they're here to help you through it.
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