3 TIPS THESE TRAINERS SWEAR BY TO KICK OFF YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE

Ready to get back into your fitness routine for 2025? These 3 tips from top trainers will help you stick to your goals.

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1. KEEP YOUR GOALS REALISTIC
Although it’s great to be ambitious, perhaps you’ll want to hold off on entering the Comrades Marathon after your first run. Set attainable short-term fitness goals for yourself. Not only will it build your confidence each time you achieve what you set out to do, but it’s great motivation to keep going. "Short-term goals can lead to long-term success and help maintain motivation. Fitness gives you some amazing acute benefits, but they don't hold a candle to the benefits of long-term success. Remember, the key to getting fit is consistency, so start small, build on that foundation, choose exercises, and build habits you enjoy," says certified personal trainer Michael Masi.

2. START OFF EASY
While pushing yourself is a good driving force to achieve results, jumping back into a strenuous workout can often result in injury. Walking is a great way to ease back into your fitness routine. "Allow yourself to ease into things — this often means starting off less intense than how you were the last time you worked out consistently," says YogaSix trainer Tamara Teragawa. “Do something that does not break your body and push it beyond its limits right away. You have to rebuild the strength, stamina, and endurance to help regain the confidence and motivation to push further," she explains.

3. FIND AN EXERCISE BUDDY
Look for a friend who has similar fitness goals to you. Not only will the workouts be more fun, but you’ll have someone to keep you accountable to show up when you want to ditch your workout to slump on the coach (with a bag of chips) and binge The Real Housewives of Durban. “Telling others about your intentions not only provides more accountability but can also create a buddy system to make workouts more enjoyable and motivating," says Equinox personal trainer Lauren Saint-Louis.

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