New Year's Resolution Guide: Setting Goals for your Fitness Journey

With the New Year right around the corner, many people are thinking about how they want to change their lives once 2026 starts. On average, approximately 60% of Americans have some health and fitness-related resolution, and we’re here to help you get started on the right foot. 

New Year’s Fitness Resolutions and Staying Committed

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, everyone has good intentions to stay committed to them. Then life gets in the way. Work changes, family needs start popping up, and before you know it, the resolution you were committed to had to take a back seat so you could prioritise the immediate life needs. But what if there was a better way to help stay on track? 

SMART Goals and Resolutions

Writing down and mapping out your resolutions gives you a significant advantage in achieving them, especially when it comes to health and fitness-related goals and resolutions. Having goals going into your fitness journey will help keep you accountable, even when motivation starts to dwindle. We should have short-term and long-term goals that are defined by using the SMART Goal setting system. 

SMART 

SMART Goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. 

Specific

Be clear on what you want to achieve. Instead of just saying, I want to get stronger, say you want to strength train 3 days a week. 

Measurable

Include a way to track your progress. Let's say you want to increase your max bench press by 25lbs. Logging your workouts and seeing your lifts progress in weight will help you attain that goal. 

Achievable

Choose a goal that is challenging but realistic. If you’re currently benching 100lbs total, moving to 125lbs is realistic and attainable within a 1-2 month period. 

Relevant

Make sure your goal aligns with your values and the bigger picture. If your goal is to get a stronger chest, reaching that 25lb increase supports that goal. 

Time-Bound

Set a time frame to stay motivated and keep yourself accountable. 

Before Continuing

Open your notes app or grab a piece of paper and write out two SMART Goals you have for yourself. The first goal is to focus on the bigger picture. Ask yourself what your end goal is for starting your fitness journey. Your second goal will be smaller, which will help you reach your bigger goal. As you progress through these smaller goals and finally achieve your big goal, start again. Fitness is something that is for life. 

PowerBlock & Health and Fitness Related Resolutions

Now that you have your resolutions mapped out, it’s time to consider how you will tackle your health and fitness resolutions. Consider the time that you have to commit to weight training and cardio, will the excuse of time be a factor in achieving them? 

Bypassing Time Constraints

One thing to consider for your health and fitness resolution is whether or not time will keep you from getting to the gym. From the commute to spending time in the gym, and finally driving back home. The added time commitment can be a discouraging after a long day of work or needing to get things done at home. This is where building a home gym comes in handy. With PowerBlock, our Adjustable Dumbbells have been helping people achieve their goals since 1993. Training from the comfort of your own home will give you more time and peace when it comes to achieving your goals.  

Don’t Stop

Earlier, we touched on the people falling off their resolutions. Which, yes, it happens. Missing your plan for a day or two can rapidly grow into setting your goals aside. Sometimes, this action can lead to feeling bad about yourself, but we want to encourage you. So what, you missed a couple of days of workouts, start over today and continue into the next. Motivation will eventually fade, but you’re building resilience and discipline, and that is what will keep you on track to reach your goals. 

Workout Resources

For more resources to kick-start your fitness journey now, check out the table below: