There’s a commonly assumed myth that in local gyms, the busiest time of the year is just after the holiday season, when bloated Baltimoreans resolve to hit the treadmill and the weight bench in the hopes of sweating off that extra 10-plus pounds of turkey, stuffing and alcohol.

Yes, the line to get on the stairclimber can get pretty long in January and February, but the final rush to get in swimsuit shape for the summer months is just as frantic, if not more so.

“The month of June is when everyone really gets into working out,” said Tony Artis, a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym at the Power Plant. “Some people say it’s the New Year’s resolution, but it’s really the summertime because they’re wearing more revealing stuff.”

It’s true, when it’s cold outside and the Ocean City boardwalk is six months away, people are wrapped up in sweaters and winter jackets. But when the temperature heats up and the clothes come off, they realize they’ve got a long way to go if they want to look like Gisele Bündchen or Matthew McConaughey. Uh-oh. Time to hit the gym.

“They figure in wintertime they don’t have to worry about showing their body, but as soon as the sun breaks, they really want to,” said Artis. “I call them late bloomers.”

Heather Launse, 27, of Federal Hill, used to be a gymnast in college, but after she graduated and entered the workforce she struggled to find time to stay in shape. Her unusual work schedule disrupted her eating habits and prevented her from getting to the gym on many days.

In January, Launse started working out with Artis at Gold’s Gym a few days a week and the combination of weight training and cardio – along with a healthier diet — garnered her immediate results. She’s picked up the intensity for the summer months, working hard in the gym and outside in the sun in Federal Hill.

“My family thinks I look good. My friends think I look good,” said Launse. “I’ve never been the kind of person who likes to get on a scale, but I definitely lost weight.”

Launse has already showed off her leaner, tighter body at the beach and the neighborhood pool, and she’ll do the same when she travels to California later in the summer. “I’m not the kind of person to strut in a bathing suit, but I feel a lot better mentally and physically,” she said.

Beachgoers like Launse have been swarming gyms in recent weeks to work off those last few pounds before they head on their vacations. Popular target areas for pre-beach workouts include triceps, back, legs, butt and the all-important abs — or in some cases, flabs. Men put additional focus on sculpting their pectoral muscles and building up their biceps to get them ready for the gun show.

Some choose to work with a personal trainer or join classes to give them that extra push, and others use more unique motivational methods.

“I bought an expensive bathing suit and cut the tags off,” said Joyce Lightner, 40, of Cockeysville. “I use that as motivation. I know I can’t return it so I’ve got to get in it.”

A healthy diet is crucial, too, for losing weight and keeping it off. Artis advises his clients to eat right, drink a lot of water and avoid binge-eating and an unhealthy excess of sugar, calories and alcohol.

“I wanted to slim down for the summertime so what I’ve been doing is watching my calorie and carbohydrate intake,” said Alex Deitz, 33, of Towson, who says he’s trying to “lean out” this summer. “The main thing about losing weight is the nutritional side of it.”

Still, many people who stress about squeezing into a suitable swimsuit push their bodies to the limit in unhealthy ways, only to see the weight come right back.

“You see people really sticking with it, and then you have people who want to focus on getting ready for the beach,” said Jon Kaplan, fitness and wellness director at Meadow Mill Athletic Club in Hampden. “Unfortunately they’ll do crash diets and I say it’s unfortunate because they can only work for the short term.”

If it takes so much work to get their bodies ready for the beach, then why don’t people make a more concerted effort to stay in shape all year round?

“Stress is a big factor that comes into play,” said Kaplan. “People eat more and let it get out of control at different times in the year. They never got the weight off and then, boom, spring’s here and they realize they have to get serious about it.”

Matt Vensel is a content creator at b. E-mail him at matt@bthesite.com

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