New year, strong start: A personal trainer’s op-ed

12-31-25

By Carole Canfield, Nicholas Justine
Every January, gyms fill up, grocery carts get lighter, and motivation runs high. By February, reality sets in. As a personal trainer, I see this cycle every year, and I also see how easily it can be broken. The problem isn’t that people lack willpower. It’s that we ask our bodies to do too much, too fast, and then blame ourselves when it backfires.
If I were welcoming you as a new client at the start of the year, here’s what I’d tell you, not as a drill sergeant, but as a coach who wants you healthy, consistent, and still smiling in March….
Start Where You Are, Not Where You Think You “Should” Be
The most important fitness assessment isn’t how many push-ups you can do; it’s honesty. How much time do you really have each week? What kinds of movement do you enjoy? What injuries, stresses, or schedules do you carry into the gym with you?
A good resolution respects your current life. If you can commit to three short workouts a week, that’s a strong start. Consistency beats intensity every time. You don’t need a heroic plan, you need a realistic one.
Progress Is Built, Not Punished
One of the biggest mistakes I see in January is people trying to “make up” for December. Two-hour workouts, daily cardio marathons, or soreness so intense it disrupts sleep, none of this is a badge of honor. It’s a fast track to burnout or injury.
Your body adapts best to gradual challenges. Add weight slowly. Increase duration modestly. Leave the gym feeling worked, not wrecked. The goal isn’t to suffer; it’s to improve.
Food Is Fuel, Not The Enemy
Let’s be clear: starving yourself is not a fitness strategy. It’s a setback disguised as discipline. Your body needs energy to train, recover, think clearly, and live.
Instead of cutting everything out, focus on adding better habits in. More water. More fruits and vegetables. Regular meals. Balanced plates with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. When clients stop viewing food as a punishment or reward and start seeing it as fuel, everything changes, energy improves, workouts get better, and consistency follows.
Set Performance Goals, Not Just Scale Goals
Weight is one data point, not the whole story. I encourage clients to set goals that celebrate what their bodies can do: walking up stairs without getting winded, lifting heavier than last month, improving posture, sleeping better, or simply having more energy during the day.
These wins matter. They’re measurable, motivating, and far more sustainable than chasing a single number.
Rest Is Part Of The Program
Rest days are not “cheat days.” They’re training days for recovery. Muscles grow stronger when you rest, not while you’re lifting. Sleep, stretching, and recovery routines are just as important as workouts. If your plan doesn’t include rest, it’s incomplete.
Expect Imperfect Weeks And Keep Going Anyway
Life doesn’t pause for fitness goals. You’ll miss workouts. You’ll have stressful days. You’ll eat meals that don’t fit your plan. None of this means you’ve failed.
The most successful clients aren’t perfect, they’re persistent. They don’t quit after a bad week. They show up again the next day. Fitness is built on long-term habits, not short-term streaks.
The New Year Is A Beginning, Not A Deadline
January is a great time to start, but you don’t have to transform overnight. Think of this year as a series of small, intentional steps. Strong habits layered over time. Patience paired with effort.
If you’re willing to listen to your body, fuel it properly, and move it consistently, progress will come. Not all at once, but in ways that last. That’s not just a New Year’s resolution. That’s a sustainable way forward.