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New Year’s Resolutions & Goal Setting

As 2024 draws to a close and the New Year quickly approaches comes a time of reflecting on the year that was and committing to positive change for the future. For many of us, committing to change means setting ourselves New Year’s resolutions. The most common resolutions are those centred around health, fitness and overall well-being. At this special time of year when motivation is high and the possibilities for the New Year seem endless, this time of year offers us a unique opportunity to set meaningful goals and establish sustainable habits that lead to long-term health benefits.

The sense of renewal that accompanies the welcoming of a New Year encourages individuals to start a fresh and break away from past behaviours and approach new goals with optimism, hence the appeal of New Year’s resolutions. However, only a small few who set New Year’s resolutions are successful in achieving them, with most resolutions faltering due to overly ambitious goals, lack of planning or insufficient support systems. So, to give yourself the best chance at success, it is important to set realistic, actionable and measurable goals that will help you to build new habits that last well beyond the month of January. 

To help guide you through the goal setting process, here’s a few tips to set yourself for success in 2025.

1. Know your why.

    It’s all well and good to set yourself goals for the New Year but it’s important you know the why behind your goals. Understanding why your goals are important to you will be what drives you when the going gets tough. Your why should be personal and meaningful to you, should be strong enough to outlast life’s many challenges and should act as a beacon of motivation to keep you on your path to success.

    2. Start small.

    While motivation and excitement are high, it can be easy to get carried away when goal setting and fall into the trap of setting ourselves goals too big to tackle. That’s why it’s important to start small, setting smaller more manageable goals can help you to feel less overwhelmed, avoid procrastination, help you to build confidence, provide a sense of achievement and gain momentum establishing new healthy behaviours.

    Build a routine

    You’ve heard it before, consistency is key! Whatever your goal be sure to schedule time to practice your new behaviours the same time each day or each week to make it a habit. Routine and discipline will keep you accountable and turning up for yourself when the motivation and excitement of the New Year begin to fade.

    Share your goals.

    Once you’ve set your goals be sure to share them with those closest to you. Tell your family and friends your goals, let them support you and share in your journey. This is a great way to keep yourself accountable and take action towards achieving your goals because as the saying goes, if talk the talk you’ve got to than walk the walk.

    Track your progress

    It is important to track your new behaviours so you can identify change and record progress. This practice can help to keep you accountable and boost motivation. Find measurable ways to track your progress, this may be the number of sessions per week, run distance, using a smart watch to track your steps or calculating total minutes spent exercising. 

    Celebrate Progress

    Behaviour change is hard work especially when it comes to bettering our health. That’s why it’s important to acknowledge the wins along the way, big or small. Rewarding yourself for your efforts provides positive reinforcement and helps to boost motivation as you continue to strive for your goals.

    Progress not perfection

    When you’re first starting out you can get caught up in trying to do everything perfectly, but sometimes this isn’t sustainable. Rather than fixating on what you or did not do perfectly, focus on the small things you did well because all those small things that often go unnoticed go a long way towards achieving real change.  

    Anticipate setbacks

    Let’s face it, life happens, and when it does it’s best to be prepared. Setbacks are normal but we can’t let them derail our progress. So, you had a big week at work and missed a gym session, so you got sick and missed a week of running, so you  had some time off and training feels a little harder now you’re back, these things happen and it’s okay. This doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach, the important thing is how we respond to setbacks and the strategies we develop to overcome such obstacles and get back on track.

    Find a support system

    Exercise can be a lot more enjoyable when you do it with others! Exercising with family or friends, joining a group class or running group or working with a professional can help to provide motivation and accountability.

    Seek out professional help.

      Speak to an Exercise Physiologist on how to best kickstart your goals. Not only can we provide motivation and education, but we are experts at exercise prescription and can develop programs tailored to you. We can also help with behaviour change strategies, monitor progress and help you navigate your exercise routine with life’s many turns.

      So, if you have been thinking about making some positive life changes or reaching new heights in 2025, start planning your goals now. New Year’s resolutions provide us a powerful opportunity to reset and refocus on our health and fitness so don’t let this time just pass you by. Change can start today but it must start with you. Rember, this journey is not about perfection but progress. With the right mindset and strategies, 2025 can be your year to turn resolutions into lifelong habits. Here’s to a happy, healthy and active New Year.

      Written by Hope Martin

      about kineticlab

      Your ultimate partner in health and performance. We offer a blend of services in exercise physiology, dietetics, podiatry, and massage therapy, tailored to enhance your health journey. Whether you’re tackling chronic conditions, aiming for peak performance, or seeking a healthier lifestyle, our dedicated team is here to support you every step of the way.

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