It’s the New Year! Welcome to 2025. Have you sat down and made a resolution, set goals or have a date in mind by which to be a better version of you? Most people will come up with a resolution or two and by February or March, they have fallen to the wayside. This time of year is great for the fitness industry because lots of people sign up for gym memberships and fill up fitness locations for a few weeks, then it’s business as usual. While I often say you should set a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goal or come up with a plan, this year I am going to ask you to set your fitness and/or nutrition plans based on a new assumption—you—you as an individual and what YOU really want.
Purpose
When it comes to setting goals or creating a plan, it must fulfill a purpose. It could be anything that drives you forward, from medical reasons to being influenced by someone online or TV. While having an external influence can be a good motivator, it won’t keep you going for long, hence, the number of people who give up on resolutions so quickly. You have to decide on the “why” you want to do the thing you are trying to achieve. Having a purpose and understanding your own rationale will keep you motivated for the long term.
Driven
When you understand your why, you’ll be motivated to stay focused on your goals. Your internal drive will keep you coming back for more. You’ll be more willing to “fight” through the pain and hunger when you strive to achieve your objective. The other side of the issue is staying focused on the near term and long-term goals. At first, you may have to assess your goals daily and look for ways to stay motivated but stick with the plan and you’ll achieve anything.
Approach
When it comes to the New Year and the new you, be careful how you approach fitness and/or nutrition. I cannot emphasize it enough—slow and steady wins in the end. If you find yourself going all-in all at once, you’ll find yourself burning out. Create the time and a time frame necessary to achieve your desired outcome. I have had clients who wanted to come in on day-one and lift heavy, do too much cardio and spend hours in the gym. That works for maybe a week. You’ll be sore, tired, hungry and miserable which will lead to you giving up.
Just start off lightly, 30 minutes per day three days a week and then do an assessment after week two to see what you can add or modify. The same is true for nutrition. Don’t completely change every aspect of your diet unless you’re under the care and/or advice of a medical professional.
While I am a coach, I am not your fitness coach nor nutrition advisor. With this information, I am laying out options for you to consider. Seek help, watch videos from fitness experts and consult your doctor before you begin. Once you are cleared to go, find your WHY, apply it daily and focus on steadily building yourself up over time! You’ll thank me when you’re still doing it six months from now!
