As the new year begins, it's the perfect time to reflect on your health and commit to staying active and strong in the months ahead. Whether you're aiming to hit the gym more often, try a new sport, or simply incorporate movement into your daily routine, setting and maintaining fitness goals can be a game-changer for both your physical and mental well-being.
Here, Mitch Cronk, Riverside Outpatient Rehab Manager, and Ben Fightmaster, Fitness Specialist at the Riverside Health Center, share practical tips, motivational strategies, and tools to help you stay on track, overcome common challenges, and make 2025 your healthiest year yet.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
When setting fitness resolutions for the new year, it's crucial to approach them thoughtfully and avoid doing too much too fast. Excitement often leads to ambitious plans that can quickly fall off track.
As fitness specialists, Cronk and Fightmaster emphasize the importance of easing into new routines, even for former athletes. Social media can make extreme workouts seem appealing, but transitioning gradually allows your body time to adjust and helps prevent injury or burnout. Start with small, manageable goals and build them into long-term achievements for sustainable success.
“It’s important to find that regulation. When you're starting, you're on fire. Most people tend to think they have to go hard right away. That's not the case, especially if you haven't been in it for a while. It doesn't take a lot to get your body moving and feeling something. People think they have to lift the heaviest weight or run the fastest right away, but that just spells burnout. It's inevitable,” cautions Cronk.
Fightmaster and Cronk also warn against getting caught up in the world of social media when making and assessing your goals. Many of the fitness influencers on social platforms have spent years getting to where they are, and with it likely being their only “job” have more time than most to work on themselves.
Value of a Fitness Coach
Proper form is essential when starting or continuing your fitness journey, as it ensures you target the right muscle groups and avoid injury. While you may be capable of performing the movements, doing them correctly is what truly matters.
Fitness specialists can guide you in understanding proper techniques, identifying where you should feel the strengthening effects, and distinguishing between healthy discomfort and harmful pain. Working with trained professionals helps ensure your workouts are safe, effective, and aligned with your goals.
“It’s great to have a personal trainer or fitness specialist there by your side, even if it's just for four weeks at a time, so they can make sure everything looks good and check out your form,” encourages Fightmaster. “They can coach you until you learn and understand what you're supposed to do and feel, and then you can continue on from there.”
Distinguishing Between Good and Bad Pain
As you return to or start your fitness journey, paying attention to how your body feels during workouts is crucial. Experienced gym-goers may recognize familiar sensations, but it's essential to differentiate between normal discomfort and warning signs.
Sharp, intense pain—resembling the feeling of being stabbed or pierced—is a clear indicator that something is wrong, such as incorrect form or a potential injury. On the other hand, a dull ache or mild discomfort might be normal, depending on the exercise. Consulting a fitness or rehab specialist can help ensure your movements are correct and safe, as they can observe your form, listen to your feedback, and help distinguish between productive and harmful sensations.
“Sometimes, people have a hard time discerning what the pain is or what it should be,” notes Cronk. “We probably all have felt muscle soreness. Often you don't have pain right away, either. You might be able to complete a workout and feel no pain. Then, later that night or the next day, you wake up with a pain in a certain part of your body and you're wondering, ‘Is it supposed to be there or not?’”
If you experience an injury while working out, there are two main approaches: managing it on your own or seeking professional help from a physical therapist (PT). Many people may not realize that seeing a PT for an evaluation doesn't require committing to ongoing therapy. You can simply get a professional assessment, advice, and a home exercise plan to manage the issue independently. If the evaluation reveals that the injury requires more hands-on care, the PT can work with you on a tailored therapy plan to support your recovery and progress safely.
The SMART Approach to Achieving Your Goals
In order to keep on top of your fitness goals, Fightmaster suggests taking the SMART goal approach, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This ensures a clear and effective path toward achieving objectives. What might that look like?
“If you're a new person to fitness, it might be that just one day a week, two days a week, you go into the gym. That’s a starting point. It’s also about how long you’re in the gym or performing an activity. Maybe it's just to get on the treadmill or walk the track for fifteen minutes. Or, lift some weights for fifteen minutes to begin with. It may not sound like much, but it’s building blocks,” he assures. “Then, as you go throughout the year and ramp up your goals, be consistent. Consistency is key when you're starting a new goal and hoping to be successful with it.”
Click here to learn more about the Riverside Health Fitness Center.