Forget resolutions! Here’s how to achieve your fitness goals in 2025

The period between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time to take stock of things. Have you achieved your fitness goals? If so, congrats! Or have day-to-day commitments, the weather or something else got in the way? If so, don’t worry about it! These tips will put you on a better footing for the new year.

1. Set yourself motivating goals

Set yourself not just one, but several goals spread out across the year. Sure, it could be a marathon, triathlon or bike challenge. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Think carefully about what motivates you the most. Will that hike you’ve planned to do on holiday be even more enjoyable if you’re in shape? Or is it the surf course you’ve booked for summer? Maybe you fancy trying out a new sport or just going jogging or doing regular Pilates to keep yourself healthy.

The more specific your goals are, the more effective they’ll be. How about stepping up your resolve to go jogging regularly by signing up for a fun run? Having a specific date on which you’ll be running a certain distance is guaranteed to boost your motivation. This strategy’s even more effective if you register for several events over the course of the year, as you’ll stay motivated even after you’ve achieved your first goal.

Don’t enjoy competitions? No problem! Instead, set yourself personal fitness goals for each quarter and share them with people who’re important to you at the beginning of the year. They’ll encourage you whenever you fall into a motivational rut and will celebrate your successes with you.

2. Reward yourself for milestones

Have you overcome the February fitness slump (yep, it’s a thing) and gone to the gym regularly for three months? Did you just lift your body weight with the barbell for the first time during squats? Or have you managed to jog your first 100, 200 or 500 kilometres?

If so, congrats! It’s time for a reward. Preferably one that relates to sportswear or gear that’ll help you hit your next goal. It might be new running shoes, a sports watch or that cool outfit you’ve had your eye on for a while.

3. Keep a training diary

Now, you might be thinking, «I don’t have to do that – my app records everything for me.» And you’re right. But keeping a training diary has a different purpose. It’s not about times, kilometres, facts and figures – it’s about those small wins. Did you go for a run despite the pouring rain? Did you perform a deadlift with perfect form and get a compliment from your PT? Or was your playlist just the right mix of songs to make your Sunday workout fun?

Write down what worked and what didn’t. Remember every little bit of progress. If your motivation dips, grab your diary. It’ll allow you to see how far you’ve come and what you’ve learned and achieved along the way. You’ll soon find a fresh burst of energy to keep you going.

4. Don’t compare yourself to anybody but yourself

The biggest motivation killer is comparing yourself to other people. There’s always going to be someone who’s faster, stronger, more coordinated or more elegant than you when exercising. Although a little competition can be an incentive in the short term, you’ll end up frustrated in the long term. After all, the people you’re comparing yourself to might have more time to work out, fewer day-to-day commitments or simply better genes.

With this in mind, measure yourself against your own progress – and be patient. We tend to overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and underestimate our potential long-term progress. That’s why the best recipe for success is to hang in there, enjoy the small wins and focus on the fun of exercise.

5. Forget TikTok Challenges

TikTok challenges are almost as fleeting as New Year’s resolutions. After temporarily bringing out the best in you (usually 30 days), they disappear again. That’s not to say these challenges aren’t a useful way of giving you an initial push to exercise. The thing is, they’re often quite one-dimensional (the Plank Challenge) or too rigid and intense (75 Hard).

Instead, find an activity you’ll still enjoy in six months. You see, the downside of these quick, spectacular successes is that they usually fade away just as quickly and spectacularly. The path to sustainable success is sometimes (and I’m sorry to have to say this) unglamorous or even boring.

6. Put your workouts in your calendar

«I don’t have time to exercise» is one of the most commonly used excuses. The truth is that no one (seriously, no one) magically has an hour of free time for exercise, play and fun once they’ve finished work, the kids are in bed, the dishes are washed and their desk is tidy.

You have to make time to work out. If you join a fitness group or club, you’ll pretty much have fixed times to exercise. Still, regardless of whether it’s you or someone else determining your workout times, make sure you schedule them in your calendar. This’ll keep you exercising regularly. Plus, cancelling an appointment in your calendar is more difficult than ditching a mentally scheduled run because it’s dark and cold or because you’re tired.

7. Don’t expect it to be easy, convenient and comfortable

Listening to sportswear- and workout gear manufacturers, you’d think comfort and convenience were the measure of all things. Sure, I’ve nothing against comfort, but real life isn’t always comfortable. Running in the rain can feel damp and sticky, even when you’re wearing a good rain jacket. Even the most comfortable trainers won’t stop your muscles feeling sore the day after a run. And if you’re into kettlebell training, you’ll know firsthand that these workouts can leave your hands blistered and callused.

None of this is a big deal. However, if you’re expecting high levels of comfort, you might think something’s gone wrong if your workout is cold, wet and occasionally slightly painful. You’re better off preparing for things to be potentially unpleasant in the short term. In the best case scenario, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Either way, it’ll be to the benefit of your health.

8. Be flexible but consistent

We all know reality can destroy the best-laid plans. Maybe you’ve got a stubborn cold that’s been sabotaging your workouts for two weeks. Or maybe you have to put your fitness ambitions on the back burner while you get a work project finished. No matter how ambitious, disciplined or motivated you are, something will always come up.

But don’t let that discourage you. The fitness you’ve built up won’t just be lost because you’ve taken a break from exercising. Focus instead on what’s possible. Perhaps you can go on a 30-minute jog instead of the two-hour bike ride you had planned. If you’re out with a cold, how about using a grip trainer to work on your grip strength? Or you could direct your full focus towards your recovery. The best thing to do in the face of obstacles and setbacks is to stay flexible and focus on the positive. You’ll get back on track soon enough.

9. Stay positive and have fun

Even if you don’t make progress as quickly as you’d like, lose interest at times or are forced to take time out due to injury, focus on the positive. Think about the interesting people you’ve been able to meet through sport, the big and small wins and the improvements to your health.

But above all, have fun! Fun is the best motivator and once you’ve found a form of exercise that you enjoy, skipping the February slump will be a walk in the park.