At the beginning of the new year, itâs safe to say most people you know will be setting themselves fitness goals for the year ahead. Some might commit to joining a gym, while others may sign up to a marathon or race.
But how do you make these resolutions last past the second weekend in February? Itâs all well and good setting the goals, but here are seven tips to help you reach them.

1. Get Out Of A Fitness Rut
What fitness habits do you have that you wish you could break? Do you go home after work and fail to muster up the energy to get back out to the gym? Do you always workout on the weekend but struggle to get active in the week?
Fitness First PT, Luke Chamberlain, advised: âStart by making a list of the habits you currently have that you would like to change, by setting mini goals.
âOnce youâve completed this, put the list in order of priority and understand that some may be linked together. This is important for understanding the overall expectations and the impact one goal may have on another.â
And - as youâve probably heard a million times before - make sure these goals and new habits are realistic. Autumn Calabrese, master trainer and health coach said: âAny goal is possible but you have to make sure you are giving yourself realistic parameters for achieving it.â
2. Know Your Motivation
Sometimes we set New Yearâs resolutions without really digging deep and asking ourselves why that particular goal is important, said Calabrese.
âKnowing your âwhy?â can help keep you on track when temptation strikes,â she explained.
âGo deep when thinking about your why. Donât just say I want to lose weight. Hereâs an example of going deep on your why: Why do I want to lose weight? Because I want to feel good. What does feeling good mean to me? It means I will be comfortable in my own skin. Why is it important to me to feel comfortable and confident? I want to show myself that I am good enough.â
3. Make A Plan
Rather than set yourselves fitness goals for the whole year (âIâm going to run a marathon!â), create smaller, week-by-week plans of what you hope to achieve.
Chamberlain said: âItâs time to make a plan that is achievable and not over-reaching. One of the main reasons people fail to sustain their behaviour change is because they attempt to change too much at once and donât have a plan on how to do it.
Short term small goals (daily or weekly) are easier to sustain than individual large goals (monthly or quarterly).
âBy writing it down you are affirming that the change is going to happen.â
And remember, as Cabrese said: âIt takes 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for a habit to become a part of your lifestyle. It doesnât happen overnight so be patient and donât beat yourself up or quit if you struggle along the way. Itâs all a part of the process.â
âShort term small goals (daily or weekly) are easier to sustain than individual large goals (monthly or quarterly)."â
- Fitness First PT, Luke Chamberlain
4. Get Support From Others
Itâs always harder to cancel on a gym class if youâve committed to going with a friend, just like itâs hard to forget your goals if youâve told your gym buddy/personal trainer/friend/family member about them.
Chamberlain said: âBy talking to others about the change you are more likely to get the support you may need when you need it and may find that others have the same goals as you and want to get involved.
âGet your family and friends involved. Itâs time to commit and achieve success.â
Calbrese, agreed, adding: âThereâs strength in numbers. Having people that are going through the same thing as you or that you can talk to about your goals and having them support you will make it much easier to stay on track.â
5. Keep A Fitness Tracker
Youâve written down your fitness habits, youâve got your plan - now itâs time to keep track of what youâre doing. Lucy Arnold, PT and fitness coach, said doing this is a good way to see how youâre heading towards your goals.
Did you lift 10kg for the first time? Plank for the longest youâve ever planked? Run the longest yourâve ever run? Write it down. By doing this, you can keep checking back that you are still on schedule to achieve what you set out to do.

âFitness diaries are a great way to track what isnât going as well so you can make adjustments and change things,â Arnold said.
âBy recording your movements, it is a lot easier to create better habits and form a routine rather than just running full throttle, with no plan and hoping for the best. A diary will also keep you accountable for your actions. If you get three months in the year and you havenât changed, or updated the diary you need to reassess and work out why. If you are seeing results, then you can continue whatâs working.â
6. Think Outside The Box
If youâre struggling to reach your fitness goals, could there be another reason?
âThere isnât enough emphasis on how beneficial and how great sleep is for you,â Arnold said. âSleep is a large part of being and staying healthy, and allowing your body to recover. Sleep controls your immune system, ageing process and metabolism.
âOne night of bad or no sleep can have a major affect on your body, your mental health and your mood. I recommend at least seven hours sleep, where you will notice a difference in your energy levels and how your body functions.â
7. Celebrate Your Successes
âSet rewards for achieving milestones in the plan,â said Chamberlain. âBut if you deviate from the plan donât punish yourself or slip back into old habits completely.
âUse it as a learning experience, discuss why the slip up happened and focus on getting back on track and into the right mindset for change.â
Now go get âem.