New Year, New Fitness Goals and Resolutions

(6 min. read)

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How to achieve your New Year fitness goals

You start January full of motivation to work out every day, but before the month ends, you’re already feeling deflated and on the verge of giving up. Sound familiar? While it’s common this time of year to want to make big, dramatic changes, your fitness goals will only work if they’re realistic for you, your fitness levels and your lifestyle. 

So, whether you’re a seasoned runner who wants to inject some oomph into your training post-Christmas or you’re new to exercise and are planning to make this the year you finally incorporate workouts into your daily life—in a way that’s sustainable beyond January—read on to learn how to set achievable fitness goals you’ll be able to stick to. 


Why the New Year is the perfect time for achieving your fitness goals 

The start of a new year tends to inspire us to make healthy changes and set new fitness goals. For one, it’s typically a good time for reflection—in all aspects of life. The end of one year and the start of a new one often leaves us feeling reset, with fresh motivation and a positive outlook to do things differently as we go into the next 12 months. Whether you want to set new year running goals or improve your overall health, this is a great time to take action. The key is setting fitness goals that will last beyond the new year period, giving you the direction and motivation you need to achieve long-term success.


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How to set realistic and achievable fitness goals

As most of us have experienced, goals that aren’t realistic tend to have the opposite effect on us. Rather than motivate us to push ourselves and see our progress, many of us, when faced with unachievable expectations, tend to feel like we’ve failed and give up altogether, which is counterproductive. So, how do we avoid falling into this trap?

Setting manageable goals is essential. Here’s how to do it:

1. Start small

Starting with small steps and goals is key to staying motivated when embarking on any new routine or habit. If you’re completely new to running, this might mean planning to do just one run per week for a couple of weeks before slowly incorporating more runs over a few weeks to build up to the frequency you’re aiming for. 

2. Break it down 

Breaking big objectives down into manageable chunks or milestones is far less overwhelming and more achievable. For example, if you plan to run a marathon for the first time, rather than aim for 26 miles on your first attempt, you can create a training plan that gets you to 10K, followed by a half marathon, before reaching the full marathon. 

3. Strike a balance  

Finding a balance between challenging yourself and setting sustainable fitness goals over the long term is a must. Overreaching could leave you feeling burnt out or defeated, while not pushing yourself enough can hold you back from seeing the improvements and gains in your performance that’ll inspire you to keep going. So, when setting your fitness goals, aim for a happy medium somewhere in the middle, to help you stay on course. 

4. Track your progress

Seeing the payoff from all your hard work is vital for staying motivated and achieving your fitness goals. Thanks to smartphones and apps, tracking your progress to see how far you’ve come has never been easier. Whether you’re changing fitness goals on your iPhone fitness app for the new year or using your smartwatch to log and compare your workouts over time, it’s worth playing around to find a way to monitor your growth and improvements that work for you. 

5. Celebrate milestones 

Take the time to celebrate the wins throughout your fitness journey, not just when you reach the finish line. This is essential for keeping yourself on track and enjoying the process. Breaking down your goals into milestones means that you have an opportunity to pat yourself on the back for reaching each step towards your bigger goals, so make the most of it! 


S.M.A.R.T fitness goals 

The S.M.A.R.T. framework1 is a great guide to use when it comes to setting goals. To meet its criteria, our fitness goals need to be:

Specific - The goal is clearly stated

Measurable - The goal includes a way to measure progress 

Achievable - The goal is realistic 

Relevant - The goal relates to what you want to achieve

Time-bound - The goal has a timeline for completion 

So instead of saying, “I want to get fit”, an example of a S.M.A.R.T fitness goal could be “I will run three times a week and increase my running distance by 10% each week”. This approach creates achievable fitness goals that are clear and measurable. 


Health and fitness goal examples: Inspiration for the New Year

Now we know what good fitness goals look like, it’s time for some inspiration. Whether you’re a complete beginner, an experienced runner, or a gym goer looking to shake up your routine, we have some physical fitness goal examples to get you started. 

Beginner

I plan to build up my running endurance by scheduling one or two cross-training sessions every week for four weeks. 

Run a 5K by increasing my running duration by 2-5 minutes weekly for 6 weeks. 

Intermediate

Boost my running speed by increasing my pace halfway through my runs once a week for 10 weeks. 

Improve my running performance by adding one weekly trail run for three months.

Advanced

I plan to run my first half marathon in three months by incorporating one long run every weekend and one cross-training session during the week.  

Prepare for a marathon by running four days per week and increasing my weekly mileage by 10-20% each week for 6-8 weeks. 

Top tip: Feeling short on time? Working out as a family can help you incorporate your new routine into your daily life in a realistic way—and you can have some fun with your loved ones while you’re at it! 


Running goals for the New Year: Tips to go further and faster

Looking for some actionable strategies to boost your performance? Here’s how to supercharge your new year running goals:

  • Pace yourself—this will help you maintain your energy and increase how far you can run
  • Improve your run speed by making sure your form is safe and efficient 
  • Include interval training when you can—it can make you feel fitter and faster and take your runs to the next level 
  • Build up your endurance and mental resilience by including tempo runs in your plan
  • Don’t forget about recovery—it’s essential to have rest days within your running schedule to let your muscles recover and repair 
  • Lastly, have fun—you’re more likely to stick with a fitness goal that’s enjoyable to achieve 

Power your New Year fitness resolutions with HOKA

Whether you’re running a 10K or an ultra marathon, one surefire way to help you reach your fitness goals this year is to make sure you have the right running gear to support you. 

HOKA’s running clothing and footwear are built for comfort and offer breathability where you need it most, making them your ideal partners to help you incorporate new fitness and running routines into your daily life. From sweat-wicking t-shirts and tanks for your treadmill sprint sessions to road running shoes and trainers with durable outsoles and traction pads for those early morning marathon training runs, HOKA running shoes and apparel have got you—every step of the way. 

Shop the full range here

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