In 2025, take smaller, consistent steps to a fitter you

The goal of exercising shouldn't be to get six-pack abs or looking good but  to improve health markers like blood pressure and sugar levels.  (Unsplash/Akram Huseyn)
The goal of exercising shouldn't be to get six-pack abs or looking good but to improve health markers like blood pressure and sugar levels. (Unsplash/Akram Huseyn)

Summary

Instead of framing a vague and ambitious fitness resolution, set a super-specific goal with a timeline and track it daily

New year, new me. That’s the image most of us have in our heads while making earnest resolutions for 2025. However, there are multiple studies that show most people give up on their new year resolutions, especially those related to fitness and wellness. In fact, a 2020 research by the popular American digital health platform Strava found that most people quit on their wellness and fitness resolutions as early as the third week of January. Strava crunched numbers using more than 98 million exercise activities uploaded on its platforms and found that most people quit by the third week of January. 

So, this year instead of making lofty resolutions and seeing them fail, set yourself some practical, measurable goals when it comes to your diet and exercise. Also, make some small changes in your behaviour and lifestyle that you are more likely to stick to in the long run for a fitter, happier you.

Also read: 2024: The year where sports met AI met fitness

Have specific goals

We live in a world driven by targets and wish lists. And so, just like financial, career and personal goals, you need to have a health and wellness goal. Here’s what’s important: Do not set yourself vague goals. Be specific. For instance, if you have taken up running, first set yourself a clear goal of ‘completing a 5km without a break’. Set a timeline for achieving this goal, which in this case, could be three months. Then have a plan on how you would do this. Track your progress. Once you achieve that, set yourself a new goal of completing 5km non-stop within a certain time. Or, if you have started working out, set yourself a goal of doing one set of 10 push-ups or 5 pull-ups unbroken in three months. In case you want to improve your eating and drinking habits, instead of going cold turkey, set yourself a weekly limit for foods that stand between you and better health or the number of drinks you consume. There are plenty of apps that record your eating and drinking, use them to keep track. Be practical, know your limits and based on your progress, push yourself by setting yourself tougher targets. 

Start small 

Do not aim for the stars because that way you will just set yourself up for failure and disappointment. Start small and set yourself manageable goals that do not require you to make drastic changes to your lifestyle. So, if you haven’t ever exercised, set yourself a simple target of exercising at least 100 days in the year, which is two days per week for the entire year. Or if you have successfully completed a 5km recently, aim to finish 10km and improve your time in both distances before attempting a marathon or full marathon.  A study by the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, UK found that 70 per cent of injuries among runners are from overuse, which includes doing too much too soon. Another study by the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, found that runners who increased their mileage too quickly were more likely to get injured than those who gradually scaled up. Going for broke is likely to break you and leave you nursing an injury. 

Be consistent and patient 

Physiological changes, without surgical intervention or drug use, come about at a tediously slow pace. So, do not be put off if you do not notice much change in the first few weeks. In the early days, the only thing you are guaranteed is pain. The two secrets to any transformation towards better health and fitness? Consistency and patience. Despite lack of visible progress and the pain, stick with the process and be patient. It takes anything between a few weeks to a few months to start seeing visible changes. It will reward you in more ways as you will also benefit from better cardiovascular and metabolic health, lower stress levels, improved mobility and mental health too.

Also read: How to power through compassion fatigue with self-care

Focus on health, not looks  

Most of us end up chasing health and fitness goals for all the wrong reasons. While weight, size and looks continue to be the predominant reason why people exercise, they are not necessarily parameters or indicators of either one’s health or fitness. Six-pack abs might look good but there is no way anyone can manage to live their entire life sporting those. Truer indicators of good health and fitness are mobility, flexibility, ability to move freely without pain, muscle mass, healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, good cardiovascular health and low stress among others. Use your exercise and nutrition to improve these health markers. In doing so, you will inadvertently end up looking better, feeling fitter, happier and stress-free. 

Better etiquette 

Walking or exercising in a park or a gym can often be a frustrating experience for the majority of us. This is because of a general lack of exercise etiquette. If you are walking or running in a park, stick to the left side, leaving the middle path for faster walkers/runners. If you are with friends, be mindful as not to occupy half the walking path. In the gym, a lot of users do not put their weights back or wipe down the bench and equipment after use. Be mindful of these practices. Finally, if you need music for your walks/runs and workouts in the park, invest in a pair of headphones. It’s a public space, not everyone will like your taste in music. 

Be kind to yourself   

In India, our lives are constantly under pressure, right from school days. You don’t need to exert that sort of unhealthy pressure and competition when it comes to your health and fitness. If you miss training a few times or miss your target time in a race, or your progress is slower than expected, don’t beat yourself up over it. Be kind to yourself. As long as you don’t make self-compassion an excuse to skip exercise altogether, you will get there. It’s just a matter of time. 

Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.

Also read: Gadgets to help you live, work, play and sleep better in 2025

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