As 2024 draws to an end, most people reflect on the past year and set new goals for the future. New Year’s resolutions are a pervasive tradition despite their dire rates of success.
And the research on New Year’s resolutions is grim.
Just 9% of people who make resolutions keep them. In fact, research shows that 23% of people give up on their resolutions by the end of the first week on January, and 43% quit by the end of January. The rest drop off as the year progresses.
This doesn’t bode well for people who really want to make healthy changes to their exercise routines.
As a health and fitness coach for many years, I have found that one of the biggest barriers to success for clients is a perceived lack of time, as highlighted in this study. Busy professionals and parents often feel like they just don’t have space in their lives to take care of themselves.
Knowing that the rate of failure is greater than the rate of success by a huge margin, should you even make a New Year’s Resolution?
I would argue yes. It’s always a good time to commit to healthy changes. And you can take steps to ensure you’re among the ones who follow through on their commitments.
To give yourself the greatest chance of success, check out these recommendations for managing your time and effort.
This is your year!
Start Small and Keep It Simple
Don’t commit to an overwhelming workout schedule. The best exercise routine is the one you can adhere to. Focus on the minimum effective dose—this applies to both exercise frequency and duration.
Good news: You don’t have to train six days a week for two hours a day to get results. You’ll achieve results through consistency and regular effort. Instead of worrying about perfect exercise selection, training day splits, and other details, just focus on showing up according to a schedule that will produce results.
Here are some guidelines:
For heart health, guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. That could be scheduled as 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days per week.
But if you need to save time, focus on intensity: 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise three days a week will produce similar benefits and might be more manageable for busy schedules.
Here’s a big mistake: saying “I don’t have an hour to work out, so I’ll just skip it today.” Instead, remember that short workouts of 20-30 minutes have a great effect on your heart!
For your muscles, as few as two strength training sessions per week can help build and maintain muscle. To get the greatest bang for your buck, these sessions should be full-body routines that train all the major muscle groups.
Research shows this approach will produce strength and muscle-mass results similar to traditional split routines that can take more time.
Reminder: Both machine and barbell training are effective at building muscle and increasing strength. It’s a matter of personal preference. So do what works best for you. If you have a preference, go with it!
Make Time and Get Results
You have to make time for yourself—and you don’t need a lot to get results.
Schedule your workouts in your calendar a week in advance and then show up for yourself. The more often you do this, the better you will feel.
As you create momentum, a new habit will form and it will become increasingly difficult for you to quit. People quit on flippant resolutions that aren’t backed by a plan.
If you want to improve your health and fitness, commit to short, simple, regular workouts and get them on the calendar right now. Consider them “non-negotiable”and prioritize these sessions.
If you do, you can be among the 9% of people who stuck with their resolutions, and you can reflect on a year of health, happiness and progress.
Not sure what to do in the gym to get results fast? Let’s talk. I can create a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle. Click below to book a free intro!
