Are you already thinking about getting back into the swing of things, health and fitness-wise, in the New Year? With 2025 just a few weeks away, it’s the perfect time to prepare for your new routine with safety and consistency in mind. Embarking on a new fitness regimen can seem overwhelming, but a few specific tips can make the difference from a permanent “new you” vs someone exhausted and ready to throw in the towel before February. Here are the 5 best ways to get into shape starting in January, according to experts.
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Make It Fun
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Making exercise miserable is a surefire way to get burned out by the second week of January. Instead, find activities you genuinely enjoy that you know you will stick to. “Having a regular exercise program is the key to improving fitness, but the main thing is to choose an activity you enjoy, as that way you are more likely to stick at it and fit it into your lifestyle,” Sport and Exercise Scientist Paul Hough tells Live Science. “Being consistent is also key – and moving little and often is better than nothing.”
Set Realistic Goals
iStockIt’s easy to get so hyped up, you make unrealistic goals—and then become demoralized when it doesn’t work out. “If you want to do a 5K run, that can be good for getting you into regular training, but setting yourself lots of goals can actually be demotivating if and when you don’t achieve them,” Hough says. “I prefer to set mini goals, which are more achievable.”
Be Specific
Shutterstock Getting fit is all about the details. "What can you do to hit those goals? Be specific," personal trainer Tuekeha Huntley tells USA Today. "Break it down into realistic goals. Not just I want to lose 10 pounds in three months, but write down baby steps. This is the way that I’m going to lose 10 pounds in three months – so you’re writing down I’m going to join a gym, I’m going to do 30 minutes of cardio."
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Don’t Ignore Your Diet
ShutterstockWhat you eat (and don’t eat) will have a huge impact on how successful your health and fitness regimen will be—not just for January, but long-term. "Our diet is critical to our ability to have good moods, to think clearly and to rid ourselves of illnesses and diseases and other factors that prevent us from having the willpower to go work out and take care of ourselves," chef and wellness expert Charity Faye tells USA Today. "If you say I’m going to do the keto diet for 30 days because it’s a trend you’re going to fall off. Don’t set a goal for the next 30 days – say today this is what my body needs therefore this is what I'm going to give my body."
Be Brave!
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Getting out of your comfort zone is not easy, but you can do it. “If you haven’t been to the gym or the park to exercise in a while, it can take a little while to feel comfortable and get back into a routine,” says Scott Wanke, DPT, via Ochsner Health. “The machines may look a little different, and it can be intimidating to charge in among the experienced fitness pros. You may even feel self-conscious a bit self-conscious at first as you try to mimic the routines and protocols of others. Trust me – we have all been there! Gym staff can walk you through how to use the machines properly, as the last thing anyone wants is for you to get hurt trying to learn by yourself. Many gyms will also hang signs at the beginning of the year to remind members that we were all new once! Once you settle into a routine, you will begin to feel right at home.”
