The new year is a great time to start — or return to — a fitness routine. If this is the year you’re hoping to make an exercise habit stick, check out one of these community offerings.

Fit Shepherds

Every Saturday at 7 a.m., men ranging from teens to seniors gather at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Aurora to focus on their physical and spiritual health with Fit Shepherds.

Any man can attend these free sessions. Each workout begins with participants kneeling as they pray the Our Father as a group. After a warmup, they complete a full 45-minute workout followed by a spiritual reflection. The group also meets at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesdays, ending with a group prayer.

Dan Maxwell joined Fit Shepherds after meeting a member during their kids’ soccer game. After one session, he was hooked. He even brings his son to the weekly workouts. Maxwell says exercises can be modified by skill level, noting that injured or older men sometimes walk on their own for 45 minutes before the spiritual reflection.

“This ministry is more than just the workouts. It’s a way for men of likeminded faith to gather together and grow not just in their physical abilities, but spiritually and bring a stronger sense of community,” says Maxwell.

Fitness on the Fox

Located in St. Charles, Fitness on the Fox is a women’s fitness studio where women come together to empower each other through movement. The gym offers a diverse range of group classes designed to suit all fitness levels and interests, including yoga, Pilates and strength training. They also offer a running program each spring, summer and fall.

One of the most popular formats is the boot camp series, including upper- and lower-body boot camps as well as a Saturday morning Rise & Shine Bootcamp.

“These classes are a great mix of strength training and high-intensity interval-training,” says owner Kelly Haas.

A new class to Fitness on the Fox this past year is Barre Burn — a total-body workout that combines barre, core conditioning and strength exercises using lighter weights. When you’re ready to lift heavier, the Super Strength class focuses on perfect form for exercises like squats, presses and other strength movements with dumbbells, barbells or machines.

The Little Foxes Camp keeps youngsters ages 3 months to 11 years entertained while their mom fits in a workout. Offered during mid-morning classes from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Little Foxes Camp begins with a story followed by age-appropriate activities, including a daily obstacle course, crafts or singing and dancing together as a group.

If you’re looking for help with fitness resolutions, check out the Winter Wellness Program from Jan. 12 to Feb. 28. Visit fitnessonthefox.com to learn more or register for a class.

the perch

Nestled along the Fox River in downtown Aurora, the perch offers a respite from the busyness of life with a variety of yoga classes.

Their most popular class is Gentle Yoga, a beginner-friendly offering for all body types that meets people where they’re at. The classes move slowly, pose by pose, with plenty of instruction and modifications. Another popular class, Stretch + Release, focuses on breathing and stretching for the first half of class before transitioning into restful poses designed to soothe the nervous system and ease stress.

“Yoga is beneficial for easing tension, relaxing stress and improving balance — all things we need in the winter months,” says owner Amy Jackson.

Register for classes online at theperchplace.com or pay at the door.