If your New Year’s resolution is to get in better shape, but you’re worried about following through, you’re not alone.
A 2020 study of 1,700 people found that the group that rushes back to the gym as an annual resolution is less likely to stick with a regular fitness regime than those who join in the spring or fall. However, that does not mean it’s ever too early or late to invest in your physical health. Regular exercise can benefit your body and brain by improving moods and brain function, strengthening bones and muscles, increasing energy levels, reducing the risk of chronic disease, boosting sleep quality, and much more.
It’s important to set personal goals for what you want to accomplish, which can extend beyond weight loss. The American Council on Exercise suggests creating a SMART goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and on time (met by a deadline and done in a certain amount of time). No matter the goal, it is important to state it so you can have some direction and follow through.
Getting started can seem daunting, but it can also be an opportunity to experiment with different ways of staying active. We compiled a list of some effective ways to help you reach your goals. Some methods include at-home workout apps, outdoor hikes, group fitness classes, and more.
Please consult your doctor before starting any new diets or exercise routines to ensure the programs are safe and appropriate for your current health. Here are five methods to get in better shape in 2025.
Fitness Apps
Before you get started, it is important to stretch as it reduces the risk of injury and improves performance and agility while helping raise your body temperature so you’re ready for a workout.
If you’re new to stretching or just want more tips, check out Bend. The app offers personalized daily stretches that all levels of slouchers can do. Users can choose from stretching exercises that help with sleep, mobility, and flexibility before or after a workout. It even has some core strengthening exercises. Bend is free to download but costs $13.99 monthly to access all the stretching routines.
One of the more comprehensive workout apps that is entirely free is Nike Training Camp. The app is geared to people of all fitness levels and allows users to filter workouts by muscle group, endurance, mobility, strength, yoga, and equipment. Users can also filter by duration, level, and intensity. The app offers step-by-step instructions on performing the exercises and gives a sneak peek at some upcoming exercises in the routine.
If you’re looking for more of a group-led experience without having to step into a gym, check out Alo Moves. The app offers an in-home workout program that includes dance and yoga classes, high-intensity interval training, mindfulness techniques and more. The app is $13 a month and offers classes that are for beginners, intermediate and experienced participants.
Not everyone has an unlimited range of motion, and there are disabled people who may find attending a gym to be challenging to navigate. Accessercise offers exercises for people with disabilities, such as those missing upper or lower limbs. The app doesn’t come with pre-built routines but lets users pick and choose from the existing videos to build their own training plans. It also serves as a social hub to connect with other like-minded people who are finding new ways to stay active. Subscriptions to the app begin at $13.
Group Fitness
Working out in a group setting can be beneficial for several reasons. Having a buddy or two at the gym can help keep you motivated and accountable for your overall goals. One study found that other people can influence attitudes and emotional responses to exercise, leading to a more positive, common, desirable, and doable perception of the activity.
Attending group fitness courses such as yoga, Zumba, Pilates, circuit training, aquatic exercises, martial arts, and combat sports can get you physically active with the support of others standing side-by-side in class. Many gym memberships, such as 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Chuze and others, offer group fitness classes that are included with a membership.
Other specialty classes, such as those that involve a combat sport or focus on a particular activity, like cycling, offer their own programs and gyms that you could locate based on your interests and goals.
Hikes
Being outdoors and surrounded by nature is a great way to change up your exercise routine and move out of an indoor setting. According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, being outdoors increases feelings of pleasure and can help us concentrate and focus more effectively. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also found that being outside in nature helps to decrease death from chronic disease and increases better mental health.
If you’re feeling fatigued or tired of your at-home or gym workout routine, check to see what local hikes are available in your surrounding areas. In Southern California, we are fortunate to have scenic hikes less than 45 minutes away in almost any direction.
Each hiking trail has its unique set of perks, whether you’re looking for a paved beginners hike like Mount Rubidoux in Riverside, the blue ocean views of Crystal Cove in Laguna Beach, the pristine waterfalls of Switzer Falls in Los Angeles or the unique rock formations of Potato Chip Rock in San Diego.
There are many beautiful hikes to choose from that will ultimately come down to your difficulty level and spare time. To get a better idea of where to find a suitable hike in your area that breaks down these factors check out hikingguy.com.
Meal Prep
We’ve all been in situations where we grab the easiest thing to eat rather than the healthiest. If you’re looking to get in better shape, a significant portion of that success will also depend on what you eat, and meal prepping can be beneficial in getting closer to your fitness goals.
In addition to getting in better shape, meal prepping can help save you money and time, balance your diet, and reduce the stress of preparing daily meals. You don’t have to cook for the whole month or even the whole week. Start by trying to prepare meals for two or three days, and as you find a rhythm that works best for you, it will get easier to increase the number of meals you can produce.
If you don’t have time to cook or whippin’ up a week’s worth of food isn’t your thing, check out meal prep services such as Taylor Made. The health-conscious Irvine-based company cooks tasty dishes and delivers them to Orange County and Los Angeles County. Meal prep delivery services, such as Factor75 and MealPro, also offer a wider range of services in other cities in Southern California.
Check out Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Meal Prep Guide for more tips.
Lifestyle
When it comes to getting in better shape, the best success will come from building a sustainable lifestyle that fits your individual needs. It’s important to keep in mind that lifestyle changes to get in shape are meant to replace the former lifestyle that wasn’t suiting your health needs.
However, it’s also not recommended you go cold turkey on foods like carbs or other sugary, salty and processed snacks but instead gradually decrease those foods from your overall diet. You also don’t want to start an exercise program that is severely intense and will cause you to burn out in a short period of time.
To help guide you on your path, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases suggests four stages: contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance.
The first stage involves thinking about change and finding the motivation to initiate it. In the preparation stage, you’re likely thinking about specific plans and ideas that will work for you such as what time works best to fit in a gym routine or how much weight you’d like to lose.
You’ll know you’re in the action stage once you’ve started to make healthier choices such as eating healthier and increasing your physical activity and sleep. In the final stage, you’ll reach maintenance, where you’ll be working on how to maintain your newfound habits including creative ways to stick to your routines and incorporating them into everyday life.
Maintaining your lifestyle will help you reach your goal and may set you up for a healthier, more sustainable future.