How to Set Realistic Fitness Goals You'll Actually Stick With for 2025

Table of Contents

• 1. How to Set a Realistic New Year’s Fitness Resolution
• 2. Let’s Talk Frequency
• 3. Know Your Why and Set SMART Goals
• 4. Find Something You Enjoy
• 5. Start Where You’re At
• 6. Don’t Skimp on Prep and Recovery
• 7. The Bottom Line
• 8. FAQs

How to Set a Realistic New Year’s Fitness Resolution

At the end of the day, a realistic fitness goal is one you’ll stick with. It’s better to choose a fitness goal you can be consistent with for the long haul than one that gets major results but falls by the wayside the first time something else comes up (and something will always come up).  

So how do you decide what’s realistic for you? A few things you’ll want to consider are your energy level, physical capability, budget, and your capacity over the long term. Let’s break each of these down, because the effect they have on whether you stick to your fitness resolutions cannot be overstated.

Long-Term Capacity

You want your goal to be sustainable and ultimately become a lifestyle that fits with all of the other important areas of your life. Sure, you may say “I’ll take one year to get super fit then focus on my other goals” but that’s unsustainable, even if you do achieve your fitness goals for the year. The key is consistency. Going full throttle for 12 months is not as effective in the long run as doing consistent workouts for the next 50 years.  

Similarly, examine if some of your other goals conflict with your fitness goals and strike a realistic balance between them. This is not to discourage you from reaching for your goals, but to give you a clear vision of what you’re working with. You may want to work out 5 days a week, spend more time with friends and family, read a new book every week, and finally start your own business this year. Get specific about how you plan to tackle each goal and find creative ways to fit them all together or even adjust some of them if needed.    

Super busy? Maybe 15 minute HITT workouts 3 times a week during your lunch break is something you can keep up without sacrificing time with your family after work. Maybe working out after work will keep your weekends free for starting your new side hustle. 

Look for pockets of time when you find yourself doing things that don’t fulfill you. Do you go down a rabbit hole on YouTube for three hours after work? Endlessly scroll on your phone during your lunch break? These are prime times to get ahead on your fitness goals.

Energy Levels

You know yourself. If you KNOW that you and your couch are like magnets when you get off work, consider scheduling your workouts for early in the morning or during your lunch break. If you know there’s no way you’re going to drag yourself out of bed at sunrise on a Saturday morning, fit your workouts in later in the day. One of the quickest ways to fall off your fitness resolutions is by adding another obstacle. Get honest with yourself and try to fit your workouts in when it’s easiest to motivate yourself. Relying on willpower alone is only going to make it harder on yourself.

Physical Capability

Old injury? Recovering from surgery? There’s a workout for everyone, but not every workout is right for your current circumstance. Even if you don’t have an injury to deal with, be okay with choosing workouts that fit your current fitness level and working your way up to bigger goals.

Budget

If you have other financial obligations, it may not be the best year to pay for an expensive fitness class. Luckily, getting fit doesn’t have to cost much, or anything at all. Get crafty with your resources, see what you already have around the house, look for free workout classes or community gyms in your area, or find free workout videos online. The possibilities are endless but taking your budget into account when designing a sustainable fitness routine is unavoidable.

Let’s Talk Frequency

Consistency is the name of the game, but that doesn’t mean you need to grind seven days a week. The key is balance. In fact, over-exercising can even prevent you from reaching your fitness goals and will ultimately lead to burnout.  

It’s generally recommended you get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week. If your workouts are on the less strenuous side, you may want to aim for more workouts. Likewise, if you plan to work on different areas of the body on different days, you may be able to get away with working out more often. A schedule like this is both realistic and effective for most people. 

If you’re super busy, short and intense HIIT workouts three times a week can make a big impact. You can even split workouts into smaller chunks—think a quick bodyweight session in the morning and a run after dinner.

Know Your Why and Set SMART Goals

You may have heard of SMART goals before (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). I would also add “Meaningful” to this list because the best fitness resolutions are measurable and meaningful. Let’s take a closer look at the nitty gritty of creating a roadmap to crushing your new year’s fitness goals.

Specific: If you don’t know where you're going, how are you going to get there? It sounds obvious, but many people fall into the trap of setting vague fitness resolutions and then try to guess when they’ve achieved it. “I want to lose weight” or “I want to get stronger” are great goals, but what do they really mean? Do you want to lose 10 pounds, or do you want to lose 50 pounds? Get specific about your destination so you can create the right roadmap to get there. 

Measurable: Now that you know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? More importantly, how will you know you’re moving towards your goal throughout the year? Having a way to measure your progress is crucial. Maybe it's taking measurements, timing yourself, or weighing in. Maybe it means being able to walk up a flight of steps without feeling winded. Whatever it is, you’ll need to measure your progress to reach your fitness goals. 

Achievable: Make sure your fitness goal is realistic and attainable. Remember, do your fitness goals fit your capacity, budget, energy level, and current physical circumstances? 

Relevant: The goals you set along the way should align with your larger objective. For instance, if you aim to run a marathon by the end of the year, you’ll want to set short term goals that align with that larger goal, such as running a certain distance in under 10 minutes by June. Keeping your smaller goals relevant to your larger goals will prevent you from getting side-tracked. 

Time-Bound: Once you’ve decided on a specific goal and how you’re going to get there, create a defined deadline that you want to have it achieved by. This will give you an idea of how much progress you should be making over time using the measurements you take along the way. 

Meaningful: Having a strong “why” is just as important as having a strong “what” and “how”. Often, what we think we want isn’t the full story. For instance, wanting to lose 10 pounds might really be about feeling confident in your own skin. Behind wanting to build more muscle, maybe you really have a desire to see what you’re capable of. Dig deep into your motivations, and you’ll be more likely to stay the course when you understand what you’re really doing it for.

Find Something You Enjoy

It's not rocket science. You’re much more likely to stick to a fitness routine you enjoy doing. Do a little exploring. Maybe having the comradery of a group workout class will keep you accountable, maybe solo runs with your earbuds in will help you recharge. Explore options until you find what clicks—strength training, yoga, martial arts, outdoor workouts, cycling, or even dance classes.

Start Where You’re At

Big goals require small steps. If you want to run a marathon, you’ll need to run a few practice miles first. Don’t let your grand goal overwhelm you before you even start. Break your goal down into smaller steps and start where you’re at, then gradually build up over time (and celebrate the small wins along the way!)

Don’t Skimp on Prep and Recovery

When you’re excited about a new fitness goal, it’s easy to hit the ground running without taking time for stretching or proper warmups. But this can be a fast-track to injuries that could sideline you for months. Plus, when you warm up properly, your body is ready for maximum performance, which means you get better results for all your hard work. Recovery isn’t about being lazy; it’s a part of the process and essential for muscle recovery (and growth). Take care of your body so it’s ready to tackle the next challenge.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, a New Years fitness resolution shouldn’t be about perfection. The numbers and metrics are there to help you challenge yourself. Crushing your health goals is about persistence, balance, and making fitness a sustainable part of your life. Start small, focus on consistency, and choose goals that genuinely matter to you.  

Surround yourself with like-minded people. They say you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, so choose wisely. Consume content online that fuels your goals and keeps you inspired. And avoid negative self-talk. Falling short one day doesn’t mean failure. Make a point to acknowledge when you put your all into your workout, whether you performed as you’d hoped to or not. With the right mindset and a plan in place, 2025 could be your best year yet.

Ready to Get Started?

Now that you know how to set and stick with your New Year’s resolution, check out the top-performing fitness gear that can help you get to the goal at Titan Fitness––now with FREE SHIPPING on every order and pay-over-time plans with Bread Pay!

FAQs

I get bored easily. How do I stay motivated to stick with my fitness routine? 

Choose workouts you enjoy and don’t be afraid to mix it up. Creating a routine with different types of workouts keeps it fresh over time and is great for full-body fitness. Even if you want to focus on a specific area of your body, you can still do different workouts that target those muscles. Also consider having a workout buddy or joining workout classes that hold you accountable even when you aren’t feeling the most motivated. 

What if I get a few months in and discover my goal was too ambitious or that other obligations have come up? 

Resist the urge to throw in the towel completely. If you’re dealing with a schedule change, consider whether you really need to give up on your goal or if you can move some things around. If you can’t move things around or find that your goal may have been a bit too lofty, there’s no shame in adjusting your goal. Setting a new year’s fitness resolution is meant to be encouraging, not feel like a prison sentence. 

What other advice would you give to help me reach my new year’s fitness resolution? 

Fitness starts before you ever hit the gym. Get good sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat nutritious food and you’ll see the difference inside and outside the gym. 

Should I set more than one fitness resolution? 

You can, and it can even help if your goals support each other––but it’s also important to not take so much on that you get burnt out and drop both.  

I keep falling off the bandwagon. Any tips? 

One trick is to have a “minimum standard” policy for yourself. For example, if your goal is to bench 250 pounds by the end of the year, your minimum standard could be “I aim to work out 5 times a week, but my absolute minimum will be 3 times a week if things come up”, then hold yourself accountable.