For many of us, the new year brings a surge of motivation — but real transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a clear path and the right mindset to keep you moving forward even when that initial spark fades or wavers. Because the reality is, it’s not a matter of if but when that happens.
One of the best ways to get ahead of — or combat — any discouragement is to approach your plan realistically and intentionally. You want to play the long game, not the short game.
This three-step process is a tried-and-true approach that I use with my coaching clients. It can guide you beyond the time of setting resolutions and into an evolving lifestyle of lasting fitness change.
Let’s break down how to approach this new year:
1. Foundation Phase: Build Your Base
Months 1 to 3
The first three months are all about setting the stage. Think of this period as the construction of your health and fitness foundation. This isn’t the time to chase perfection or instant results, as so many of us often do at the beginning of a program or the start of a new year. Rather, it’s about creating daily habits that can carry you forward.
Focus on consistency over intensity. Show up, follow your plan, and begin to form the core habits that can allow your results to last a lifetime. It’s a simple approach, though not always an easy one — but it works.
The exact way this looks will depend on your individual plan. In general, you’re going in the right direction if you’re committed to moving regularly three to four times a week, learning proper mechanics, and making small nutritional improvements.
Each step forward strengthens your foundational base. Giving yourself time to build your foundation means you’re building something that can last. Embrace this phase, and give yourself the gift of patience.
2. Transformation Phase: Witness the Shift
Months 4 to 6
After setting a solid foundation, transformation starts to happen. This is where momentum really starts to build as your body begins to respond to the work you’ve put in. You begin to feel the changes in your muscles, in your energy, and even in your mindset. You see how those foundational habits are paying off as you’re getting stronger, more resilient, and more confident.
This is the time to embrace those changes and push a little harder. Add another day of movement, increase your weight and/or reps, and layer in some additional nutrition or lifestyle habits, for example. This shift is not just about physical gains, though. It’s about proving to yourself that you’re capable of more than you imagined.
The roadblocks that used to stop you? They’ll likely feel smaller now. You’ve created momentum — and these signs of transformation are just the beginning.
3. Mastery Phase: Own Your Progress
Months 7 to 9
“Mastery” is where everything clicks. You’ve now spent months building, learning, and transforming; now it’s time to really take control of your health and fitness journey.
This phase isn’t about needing less — it’s about doing more with what you’ve learned. You’ve developed the discipline and skills to continue growing, and you now have the tools to live your fitness lifestyle with purpose.
You’re not just completing workouts, but you’re executing them with precision and confidence. The habits you’ve built are automatic parts of your day.
Mastery, however, doesn’t mean the end of growth. Figure out where you want to steer next: Do you want to build more strength? Increase your speed? Try a new workout modality?
Decide your next area for growth and enlist the support you need. Remember, even the best athletes still have coaches, they just need fewer touchpoints.
You’ve proven to yourself that you can go the distance — and now the possibilities for continued progress are limitless.
Beyond Month 9: This Is Your Journey
Phase four is your everyday lifestyle. By breaking your journey into these three powerful phases — foundation, transformation, and mastery — you’ve given yourself the roadmap to not only see results in this nine-month timeframe, but to own them for the long haul. True progress isn’t about an endpoint; it’s about who you become along the way.
Take it one step at a time, trust the process, and remember that every rep and every small win is a brick in the foundation of your best and healthiest self. Stay committed, stay hungry, and you’ll not only reach your goals: You’ll surpass them.
Planning, Preparation, and Practice: Why Programs Matter for Progress
With Jamie Martin and David Freeman
