Exercising more and losing weight are two of the most common New Year’s resolutions. To that end, Americans spent $60.5 billion on health club memberships, weight-loss programs, exercise tapes, diet soda and other diet-related aids in 2013, according to Marketdata Enterprises, a market research firm.

While dieting is one way to drop pounds, many hit the gym, sign up for training programs or hire personal trainers to kick-start their fitness goals.

Here are three fitness trends forecast by the American College of Sports Medicine for 2014, and how they worked out for the people who tried them for the first time. All three will continue to trend up in 2015, the group said.

YOGA

Tania Kahale was at her breaking point.

The 53-year-old makeup artist and hairstylist was taking pain medications and going to physical therapy for severe neck pain — and wasn’t getting relief from either. She was taking medication to manager her hypertension and cholesterol and she was borderline diabetic. Something had to change.

For years, Kahale was curious about yoga. She had even tried learning it from a video. But she was intimidated by the idea of attending classes.

After hearing about the benefits of yoga from her clients and friends, Kahale decided it was time to give it a shot. In October, she ventured into Open Space Yoga’s studio on Monsarrat Avenue, right up the street from her workplace, and took her first yoga class.

"I had done stretching and breathing and meditation before, but something about going to a class takes it to a whole ‘nother level," said Kahale, who had been a professional dancer, lifeguard and competitive swimmer. "It brings out a little bit more in me. And for the first time, I don’t feel like I’m competing with anyone in the class."

After just three months of going to classes at least once a week — often four sessions in a week — she’s off all of her medications, including the pain relievers for her neck. She sleeps better, has more energy and is more flexible.

"It’s really taught me to be in the present, to enjoy the moment, to focus on the stretch or the position you’re in," she said. "It’s addicting."

What it is: Based on ancient tradition, yoga utilizes a series of body postures practiced for health and relaxation. There are various kinds of yoga — from bikram (done in heated rooms) to vinyasa (a more fluid style). Yoga has been on the American College of Sports Medicine’s trend list for years.

How it works: Every year, Open Space Yoga sees more students signing up for classes, many of them coming back after some time away, said owner Mary Bastien.

"What’s interesting is that yoga, unlike other exercise modalities, isn’t just that. People come because they want to lose weight or because of their back pain, but then something else happens. It’s a more spiritual practice, and you start to work on the layers of your mind. That’s why people stick with it."

While regular practice can result in leaner physiques, weight loss, improved flexibility and muscle strengthening, Bastien says yoga as a spiritual modality has become increasingly more popular because of today’s fast-paced, high-stress environment.

"People are extremely stressed out, their adrenal glands are shot; people really have to calm down," she said.

Common misconception: Yoga is not a religion, Bastien said, "but it is a lot deeper than just the physical form."

For more information: » Open Space Yoga: 3106 Monsarrat Ave., 232-8851, yogaopenspace.com

HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

Tiare Nakayama runs her own business, works at farmers markets, and raises three young kids. She doesn’t have time to work out.

At least that’s what she thought until she signed up for a month’s membership at Egan’s Fit Body Bootcamp in Moiliili. The classes were intense and varied — and just half an hour.

"That’s the thing I liked about it," said the 39-year-old owner of No Ka Oi Cookie Co. "The classes were short and fast, and they were always different."

Nakayama admits she was skeptical of the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, a trend commercialized via TV infomercials for such programs as P90X and Insanity. But she’s now a convert, going five days a week, often taking two classes back-to-back. Since signing up in January 2014, she’s lost more than 35 pounds and feels stronger, happier and more energetic.

"When you’re doing something good, it’s addicting and you want to keep doing it," she said. "You start to believe you can do more than you thought you could before."

What it is: HIIT alternates periods of short but intense (anaerobic) exercise with less-intensive recovery periods. The sessions usually last between four and 30 minutes, which has undoubtedly fueled HIIT’s popularity with people looking for a quick way to work out and lose weight.

How it works: One of the benefits of HIIT is the increased number of calories your body burns while you’re not working out, according to mixed martial arts champion Egan Inoue, owner of Egan’s Fit Body Bootcamp, which has seen an increase in membership this past year. That means you can work out for a shorter amount of time but still burn the same amount of calories had you completed a longer, less intense workout.

"With most aerobic exercise (requiring longer endurance), once you’re finished, your calorie burn goes back down to normal," he explained. "But after a HIIT workout, your calorie burn (while resting) is higher up to 36 hours after the workout. That’s why a HIIT workout can be shorter and you get more (calorie-burn) benefit than a one- or two-hour jog."

Common misconception: HIIT workouts are intense — and that can be intimidating to those who aren’t familiar with this kind of training or are new to exercise. But with a proper introduction to the program and guidance from a trained instructor, the workouts can be tailored for all skill or age levels. "You can make it as hard as you want to make it," Nakayama said. "If you can’t do the different exercises, you can modify it to your level."

For more information: » Egan’s Fit Body Bootcamp: 271-3779, www.hawaiifitcamp.com

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS

Clarence "Keka" Kealoha had been a Hawaiian Airlines pilot for 15 years, passing all of his biannual medical exams to fly. That is, until February, when a checkup revealed spiked sugar levels in his blood.

He was diagnosed with diabetes and not allowed to work until his health improved.

"This was serious," said the 54-year-old father from Wahiawa. "I gotta pay my bills and support family. I had to get back to work as soon as possible."

Kealoha’s doctor recommended a fitness program that featured both high-intensity interval training and functional fitness, which involves real-life activities in real-life positions. This wasn’t about lifting weights to get "cut," this was about reducing his blood-sugar levels and getting him back to work.

So after visiting several CrossFit gyms, Kealoha signed up at CrossFit Hawaii/ HardAss Fitness in Kakaako, starting with basic training sessions three times a week. He did pushups and situps and worked with unloaded barbells.

After four months of CrossFit and modifying his diet, Kealoha dropped 30 pounds, improved his cholesterol and blood pressure numbers, and his blood-sugar level was back in the acceptable range set for pilots by the Federal Aviation Administration. By June he was back in the cockpit.

"People were telling me it would be years until I started flying again," he said. "But now I’m in the best shape I’ve been in years. I feel good, I feel strong. In a way, I’m glad it happened because now I’m in better health and I take better care of myself."

What it is: Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to help you do everyday activities safely and efficiently. The focus is on the practicality of strength building, rather than training for aesthetic reasons, according to longtime trainer Kimo Kockelman of CrossFit Hawaii/Hardass Fitness.

"Everything we do in CrossFit replicates things done in real life," he said. "The most important and defining characteristic of functional movements is the ability to move large loads, long distances, quickly. … The way training was before, you thought you were fit, but you were really training for the mirror."

How it works: Functional exercises — such as lunges, squats and step-ups — work several joints and muscles at once. This type of training can make everyday activities much easier and reduce your chance of injury.

"We have surfers and paddlers and volleyball players who say they feel much more stronger and more confident (after these workouts)," Kockelman said.

Functional fitness workouts are particularly beneficial to older adults to improve balance, agility and muscle strength, and to reduce the risk of falls.

Kockelman’s 70-year-old mom does CrossFit three times a week. "She pushes, too," he said. "She’s working just as hard as everybody else, as hard as the best athletes in the room. She’s an inspiration."

Common misconception: Functional doesn’t mean easy. CrossFit programs, for example, incorporate functional exercises done at high intensity, optimizing calorie burn and strength building.

For more information: » CrossFit Hawaii/Hardass Fitness: 883 Mission Lane, 256-5665, www.hardassfitness.com

"Good Fit" spotlights inspiring fitness stories of change, self-discovery and challenge, and other fitness related topics. Tell us what motivates you and how you stay fit and healthy. Email features@staradvertiser.com.