It's Workout Time! Get Fit in 2025!

January. It’s the time of year to make resolutions and get fit. The get-fit invasion is on. On your online feed, on your television, on your social media. Get fit in 20 minutes a day! Tone your body with weights in three weeks! Lots of programs. Lots of plans. Lots of options. All come with success stories. All seem to work! It can feel overwhelming. How do you choose a fitness program that will actually work? For you. For the way you live. Read on for a quick guide to sort through the fitness storm.

Loner or Social Butterfly?

It matters. If you get a boost of motivation from being surrounded by like-minded fitness enthusiasts, you’ll do best in a group fitness program like Jazzercise, Zumba, or Pure Barre. If you’re more headphones on, “don’t bother me,” then a gym membership where you can exercise in your own cocoon is your go to. The ultimate isolation experience? Online courses, either streamed live or available for download might work for you.

Money, Money, Money!

No matter what program or facility you choose, it’ll cost you. Do this cost-benefit analysis: divide the total cost by the number of days you’ll actually work out. This quick exercise will help you compare pricing. Just keep in mind that you are investing in your health and mental well-being, so it’s a worthwhile investment to make, as long as your budget allows.

Location, Location, Location!

There will be traffic. It’s the DMV! So, if getting to (and from) a particular location is going to demotivate you, keep searching. Fortunately, this area abounds with plenty of locations. Do a map search on “fitness near me,” to zero in on locations that won’t have you stewing in traffic when you need to be on the dance floor or lifting weights.

Easy In. Not so Easy Out?

Check out membership details before you sign on. How easy will it be to end your membership and get a refund for any unused portion? Some companies can make this simple process really difficult with hard-sell tactics that may make it hard for you to end that membership. Under a new “click to cancel” rule, that process should be easier in 2025. Read more here: The federal government just made it much easier to cancel your gym membership | CNN Business. The rule is fairly new, and you can expect to find some confusion or misapplication as it rolls out.

What’s the Deal?

Though it may seem as though January is the only time companies offer deals, the truth is that most offer them throughout the year. If you don’t see a deal on the website, ask if there is an upcoming deal. Most companies offer some sort of trial period with sizeable discounts.

What’s Your Goal?

If you’re thinking about signing on to a plan that promises “X pounds of weight lost in X weeks,” or “Get fit in only 20 minutes a day,” you might want to rethink. Short term goals tend to deliver more frustration than results. Think about better goals and increase your timeline for results. So, substitute “lose x pounds,” with “gain more energy.” Instead of thinking, “fit into size 8 jeans by March,” think “get stronger and more toned.” My fitness goal when I started was “be able to keep up with my 4-and 6-year-old nieces.” They had tons of energy and always seemed to want me to pick them up! I knew I was successful when we went snow tubing and I was able to get back up that really big hill (multiple times) without huffing and puffing!

Avoid Burn Out

People who study these things say that most people’s fitness plans fizzle before March or earlier! That does not have to be you. When you pick a plan that fits your budget, your lifestyle, your fitness style, and your goals, you’re much more likely to stick with it. But have a strategy in place if you feel your interest is waning. Did you start solo? Maybe you do need a fitness buddy. Did you set impossible goals? Rethink and reset. Are you bored by the bike ride to nowhere in the gym? Maybe group fitness will help remotivate you. Keep in mind that you can combine different fitness options to curate a personalized workout plan.

Dress for Success

You’ll have a better and safer workout experience if you’re properly equipped. The right shoes and, increasingly, socks will help stave off conditions such as plantar fasciitis or shin splints. And comfortable, but stylish workout clothes can be a source of motivation as well. Stores like Lululemon and Athleta specialize in fitness wear, but you can find fitness sections at Target, Walmart, Macy’s, JC Penny, and, of course, Amazon. Just be sure to match the type of shoes you purchase to your planned activity: trainers or studio shoes aren’t built for running or hiking.

Reward Yourself

Figure out how to reward yourself for getting into fitness in 2025. These rewards need to be meaningful to you and hopefully won’t involve things like: Eat a dozen donuts after completing 10 workouts! The best reward is when you realize you suddenly can do more stuff with more energy, like picking up your kids without grunting, participating in a fun run without grunting, lifting more weights without grunting. OK, a little grunting is allowed, but you get the idea. The real prize is to feel better, and you will. As long as you get started and keep on going past that March fall off date!

The author is a certified Jazzercise Fitness instructor who believes that choosing a fitness program you love will keep you going well past the January season of fitness.