The wellness edit: the what, why, and how of fitness resolutions

As December comes to a close, Christmas often takes centre stage, but just around the corner lies the new year with its promise of change and tradition of resolutions. When the clock strikes midnight, it’s hard to resist the sense of excitement that comes with the start of a new year and fresh slate. A new year offers the chance to achieve goals, make different choices, and embrace new opportunities. Whether you sit and write down a list of resolutions, create a vision board, or simply reflect on the upcoming year, most of us welcome this time with some level of enthusiasm. It’s a time for new bursts of motivation and a chance to reflect, grow, and set the tone for a better year ahead.

Sometimes it’s about putting a bit more time into setting goals to help make them more achievable

For many of us, our resolutions may be fitness oriented – whether that’s committing to the gym four times a week, running a first 10k race, losing weight, or simply exercising more frequently. Why are we so focused on our bodies and their abilities this time of year? The festive period often brings the indulgence of food and drink and cosy evenings, whilst the weather makes exercising less amenable. These factors can leave us feeling sluggish, out of sync with our routines, and eager for change. It can also mean our views on our bodies are slightly altered as we get out of our usual routines. Alongside this, the beginning of the new year can be a time to reassess our goals and take a step back to see how we can refocus our efforts when the festivities have calmed down. As such, this time of year seems natural for goal setting, as we aim to use our hopefulness and resilience to achieve them.

Many of us set out with confidence. Our resolutions seem achievable and something we deeply desire but by the end of January (or February for those slightly more determined), these goals have vanished. Yet, that doesn’t mean we don’t achieve meaningful goals throughout the year. Reflecting on the past twelve months often reveals a host of accomplishments, both big and small. So, why do New Year’s resolutions feel different? Why do we approach them with such optimism, only for them to so often fade away? Often these goals are broad and general and when they are discussed so widely, it’s tempting to believe we can achieve anything we set our minds to in a year. With the whole of 2025 ahead of us, starting ‘later’ feels justifiable. Setting resolutions is not a difficult task as thinking up a goal can be done within seconds. However, sometimes it’s about putting a bit more time into making these goals more achievable.

Resolutions don’t have to be limited to the first of January

If you are setting a resolution this year, take a step back and think about what you really want to gain from it. If you are not certain it will actually make you happier or improve your life in any way, then it may be time to reconsider. Once you’ve settled on meaningful goals, here are some ways to make them actionable and achievable:

Break it down: divide your goal into smaller milestones so that achieving incremental wins will keep you motivated.
Make it social: share your resolution with a friend to tackle similar goals together.
Visualise success: create a vision board on Pinterest or write a checklist even on your phone to remind yourself of your goals.

Resolutions don’t have to be limited to the first of January but if you are making goals this year, take the time to inspire yourself, and approach them with intention. You might surprise yourself with what you can accomplish in a year.