Ready to burn off the Christmas excess?

Set your goals, get moving, and make 2025 your year of achievement and wellbeing!

As the festive season winds down and the New Year approaches, many of us start to reflect on our health and fitness goals. After the indulgences of December, January offers a fresh slate and the chance to get moving again.

Whether you’re dusting off your trainers or planning to take your fitness journey to the next level, setting realistic and achievable goals is the first step toward success.

Setting goals for 2025

The key to creating fitness goals is to make them both inspiring and attainable. Your goals should challenge you but also fit within your lifestyle. Whether you’re aiming to shed a few pounds, improve your fitness, or prepare for an upcoming event, here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Ease in gently

If you’ve taken a break from exercise or are new to running or walking, start with a manageable programme like the Couch to 5K app. This popular NHS initiative has helped thousands of people transition from a sedentary lifestyle to running 5K in just nine weeks. By starting slow and building up gradually, you reduce the risk of injury and keep motivation high.

2. Choose your goal

Having a tangible goal like a parkrun, a local 10K, or even a marathon can give your training real purpose. Signing up for an event creates accountability and provides a clear timeline for your progress. If running isn’t your thing, consider a long hike or trekking challenge. The satisfaction of working toward and completing a goal is an excellent way to stay motivated.

When setting event-based goals, ensure they’re realistic. If you’re aiming for a marathon but haven’t run in years, plan for a longer training timeline to build endurance safely. Use tools like training plans from trusted resources to guide your progress.

Profeet ambassador and endurance coach, Andy Brodziak, has this advice for beginners: “Be short term and specific – an event or a target distance you want to achieve in three months’ time – and not something vague such as ‘sometime this year, I want to run a marathon”.

3. Focus on strength and recovery

While running and walking are fantastic cardiovascular exercises, incorporating strength training and recovery routines will enhance your performance and help prevent injury. Adding sessions focused on core stability, flexibility, and resistance exercises will complement your training.