Today, I’m going to be talking about the first and perhaps most crucial step in your New Year’s fitness journey: setting realistic goals. I’m here to help you lay the foundation for a year of attainable successes, rather than setting the stage for frustration and setbacks.

If you want to make lasting changes to your fitness this year, it’s not just about hitting the gym more often or cutting out junk food; it’s also about understanding how to set goals that align with your abilities and circumstances. Choose something that resonates with you personally, because generic goals rarely stick.

Why is this step so critical? When you set realistic goals, you’re more likely to stick to them. This isn’t just about physical capability; it’s also about mental and emotional investment. By defining what’s achievable for you, you’re giving yourself permission to progress at your own pace, which in my opinion, is vital for long-term success.

A common mistake many people make is envisioning an end result without considering the practicalities of getting there. For example, aiming to ‘get fit’ is a noble goal, but without specific parameters, it’s hard to measure and even harder to achieve. Instead, think in terms of concrete goals such as ‘I want to be able to run a 5K in under 30 minutes by April’ or ‘I plan to do yoga three times a week.’

This approach to setting realistic fitness goals is just the beginning. Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to achieve, the next step is figuring out how to turn those goals into actions.