It’s the same thing year after year — millions of people start their January by starting ambitious health and fitness New Year resolutions. Gym memberships spike, meal plans are made, Dry January becomes a thing and motivations are high. However, by by the time we get to February, a large percentage of those resolutions have already fallen by the wayside. Life gets busy again, all the motivation you had at the beginning of last month has faded and your old habits have crept back in play.

And if you’re reading this, the chances are that your health and fitness New Year resolutions haven’t gone as you planned. But don’t worry — know that you’re not alone! The good news is that it’s never too late to get back on track and in this blog, I’m going to walk you through some practical strategies that will help you to reignite your motivation and build habits that are more sustainable, so that you can achieve those goals, no matter how far off track you might feel now.

Reassess and Reset

When I look at the weight loss journeys of my lovely clients, one of the main reasons they failed to achieve their New Year resolutions in the past is because they set either vague or completely unrealistic goals. For instance, many people simply say, “I want to lose weight” or “I want to be healthier”, but these goals in themselves will never work, because when you break your goals down into clearer and measurable steps, only then will they be easier to achieve. So, instead of saying “I want to get fit”, you could change this to, “I will exercise or dance around the house for 30 minutes, 4-5 times every week.” Tracking your progress each week will also increase your motivation. In addition, instead of doing a complete lifestyle overhaul at the same time — for instance, giving up alcohol, sugar and going vegan all at once — just focus on one or two things first so that you don’t become overwhelmed. Baby steps that are taken consistently are what makes real change sustainable for the long run. And don’t be afraid to reassess your health and fitness goals if they were too ambitious to start, because modifying them instead of abandoning them completely will mean you won’t find yourself at the end of this year setting the same goals again for 2026.

Reignite Your Motivation

One of the biggest reasons health and fitness New Year resolutions fail is because of a loss of motivation. The excitement of a fresh start in January has worn off and the busyness of everyday life has taken over again. One of the ways I help my lovely clients get back on track is to get the pen and paper out. When you write down the reasons why you started this journey, it will help to keep you focused on your health and fitness goals. For example, do you want more to feel more energetic? Feel more confident in your body? Live longer for to be with your family? Control your anxiety? Sleep like a baby every night? Whatever your health and fitness goals are, when you see the reasons why you want to get fit visible — whether that’s on your fridge, bedroom mirror or a picture of your words on your phone — this can help to keep you focused each day.

Having someone to keep you accountable — whether it’s a friend, family member, personal trainer and weight loss coach (just like Yours Truly!) will also keep you on track, because you can check in with them and they can help boost your commitment. Speaking of which, I have a special offer at the moment for those of you who might be feeling overwhelmed to make a healthy change. I’m here to listen — and help in any way I can, so if you CLICK HERE and tell me the #1 health and fitness goal that you’ve set yourself this year, then I’ll respond with a few words of wisdom that will make it more likely to happen for you!!! Plus, if you miss a workout, end up eating a takeaway or are just having a bad day (and we all do at some point!), your accountability buddy can help you to feel better and get back on track the next day.

Starting your health and fitness journey with small baby steps will help to make it easier for you to stick to your new habits. This is where most people fail, because they rely on extreme diets, intense workouts or unsustainable lifestyle changes. Instead, you’ll need to shift your mindset to create long-term new habits. So for instance, instead of trying to commit to an hour on the treadmill at the gym every day, you can start with some 15-minute home workouts — you can find some of my favourites like the Squat Matrix by CLICKING HERE  — or even a 10-minute walk every day to fit around your busy schedule.

It goes without saying that healthy eating will be a crucial part of your health and fitness journey, and many people quit because they try to follow overly restrictive faddy diets. Instead, focus on more simple and sustainable changes like making sure to drink 2l of water every day and eliminating ultra processed food. And if you do indulge in a treat, then don’t feel guilty about it —just make sure your next meal is a healthy one.

You should also keep a health journal to track your progress where you can record things like how much more energy you feel each day, how you’ve been sleeping and correlating new healthy recipes that you’ve enjoyed. You could also use an app if you’re tech minded (there are many available) or take weekly progress photos so that you can document visually how far you’ve come.

And if you set mini milestones, celebrate those small victories — but don’t do it with a blowout takeaway meal. Instead, you could reward yourself with some new workout gear, a massage or spa day, or a fun activity that you’ll enjoy.

It’s Never Too Late to Restart

If you’ve fallen off track with your New Year resolutions, don’t see it as failure — see it as a learning experience. Restarting doesn’t mean going back to square one, because every step you’ve taken thus far, even if done inconsistently, has brought you closer to your goal. Be kind to yourself and put the focus on sustainable changes that you can make to improve your overall health — whether it’s February or December, the best time to start is now. You should approach your health and fitness journey as a lifelong journey so that every positive step counts. So, what’s the one small change that you can make today to get back on track? Let me know — I’m here to help!

Love, Gaynor x