New Year’s Resolution & 2024 Fitness Goals Megathread

[shortygreyhere]

@nathan2018 I don’t think I made any 2023 fitness goals! But I did do lots of cool things. I ran faster this year than I ever thought I could with a 5K PB of 23:36 and shaved almost 15 minutes off my half marathon time. I also placed second in my age group in a 5K race, which I’ve never done before! I’ve also consistently lifted weights all year.

2024 is going to be epic! I’m signed up for 7 races!! An Olympic distance triathlon, half-iron, and Ironman (huge bucket list race for me!) plus two 5Ks, a 10K, and a marathon. Ironman training is going to be SO BUSY and it’s going to take a lot of balancing to do it along with my job and not neglecting my family.

 

[osvaldo]

@nathan2018 2023 was... something. I'd lost where and who I was for a bit, and fitness had fallen to the wayside as part of that. But about midyear or so, I basically went "fuck it all", and started striving for at least consistency, if nothing else.

And I've been able to come up with a routine and a plan that works for me. Once a week, I make a list of the big things I want to hit that coming week, and while I don't always hit them all, I at least TRY to nail them. And most of the time I succeed.

My running mileage was about the same in 2023 as it was in 2022, which is saying something considering I really really fell out of love with running in 2023.

I set the goal to go to solidcore and the Y more consistently, just to get my ass out of the house now that I'm permanently WFH. Solidcore I was able to hit, but the Y is more of a struggle.

2024's goal is just to keep building on that. Turns out I do pretty well when I create SMART goals for my personal life.

 

[dawn16]

@nathan2018 I spend a good amount of time at the gym/outside pursuing athletic endeavors.

This is the year that I want to look like I do that which means being better focused on diet. I don't wanna make the same mistakes of the past by being too strict or not eating enough or this or that. I just want to stop undermining myself on the weekends and cut out more sugar, alcohol and general garbage.

 

[godlover452]

@dawn16 I am exactly the same. I work out a lot, but don’t look like it. Just like you, I don’t really need to overly restrict. But cutting out garbage (and increasing healthy foods) will go a long way

 

[ligaciputralinkalternatif]

@nathan2018 I'm a bit ambitious but I think at least two of my goals are doable this year.
1.) Master pull-ups
2.) Master hand stands
3.) Master one arm push-ups

 

[mcrfan343]

@nathan2018 Maintained a consistent postpartum workout routine, increasing weight and intensity throughout the year, injury free! I hit BW squats and DLs in November and December. Felt great.

For 2024, continue 3 strength workouts per week plus one rowing one running as consistently as possible. Hoping to purchase a walking pad for under my desk at home and to log 2-3 miles per day.

Make at least two trips to daycare, farmers market or etc on the ebike instead of the car.

Body comp wise, I’d love to maintain my BW in the 150-155lb range and not go over that. Fingers crossed…

 

[stacyinapt]

@nathan2018 2023: I'm about to hit a million lifetime meters rowed on my Concept 2, so I'm pretty excited about that! I had hoped to hit that milestone this year, but took a few months off of rowing when I started lifting at the gym with my husband so I'm not too upset about that. It's not like I was doing nothing! I rowed 690km in 2023 and am pretty damn proud of that. Now that I am more comfortable in my lifting regimen, I feel okay about adding rowing back into the mix so I can continue hitting goals in both areas.

2024: cut out alcohol and lose the bloat that is hanging around. Continue crushing it on the rower and in the gym. My dad and I are planning to hike the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier in September (96 miles!), so I want to be ready for that! I also want to pick up my yoga practice again. I used to love to do yoga before bed and first thing in the morning, but fell out of the habit sometime last year and have struggled to get back into it. I think cutting way back on alcohol will help make that easier.

 

[grady63]

@nathan2018 2023 was all about getting back on track for me after spending 2022 dealing with chronic illness and getting that straightened out. I’m doing much better, and for the first time in adulthood, am happy with my weight.

My goals for 2024:
-year of the marathon. Indianapolis is what I have my eye on all the way in November.
-body fat goals…I’d like to lose some and be happy with my body and not just the number on the scale.
-continued consistency. I’ve spent about a decade learning that sticking with it is what matters. Eat high protein, maintain my gym time…that’s how I’ll see success.

Feeling like 2024 is the first year in a long time I’m not really doing “new year new me” crap. I’ve got a routine down, and all im committing to is continuing my already developed habits.

 

[cant_think_of_a_name]

@grady63 I'm so glad you got the health stuff sorted out! May this year be a healthier one for you.

 

[parentingpod]

@nathan2018 2023 goals: be influenced by what my fiance was eating less (definitely did better!), go to spin class at least once a week (usually made this), fence more often than not (yep!), mid-year goal of hiking with the new dog once a week (mostly!)

2024: meal prep less carb heavy meals, yoga once a week, maintain the habits I've built regarding eating and exercising.

 

[taylorz27]

@nathan2018 2023: I had a baby part way through the year, and when he turned 4 months made a general commitment to getting back into structured exercise. Since then I've done 3-4 30 minute workouts a week (mix of strength and HIIT cardio), except for one week when I was sick.

2024: Focus on cleaning up my diet a little and continuing my workouts, and also aiming for a higher step count every day. I have a goal to lose the last 15lbs of pregnancy weight I've been hanging on to. I suspect going back to work in a couple months might help this (I work 12 hour shifts in a hospital so am on my feet quite a bit).

 

[plasticpalmtree]

@nathan2018 I hit a 1 plate bench today! So my next goal by the end of 2024 is to hit a plate and a 25 on bench

 

[dawn16]

@nathan2018 My PT says a good goal for me would be a 5k in the spring and a 10k or half marathon in the fall! I don’t know if I want time goals on those. 5k, I think so because I can run a 5k already any time but I think she means including the volume needed to train to race a 5k. Half, probably no time goal, I don’t want to overdo it. I’d be just happy to be running one again.

I didn’t have any 2023 goals, I spent most of it injured and positive I’d never run again . I’m a LONG way off from qualifying for Boston to be clear but I’m also a LONG way off from never running again and that is enough for 2023.

ETA: and for goals also - take actual rest breaks. I tend to workout 7 days a week where I run 5 then do strength 2 and my pt (while trying not to strangle me) was like “you will run yourself right back in here if you don’t stop.” So it’s time I take that more seriously. That means not running as much as I want all the time if my focus is strength like it is over winter. That’s ok.

 

[officehead]

@nathan2018 I went from being fairly active pre-pandemic (I walked a ton, took a bunch of stairs every day, lifted weights 3x a week, and threw in some occasional running when my schedule permitted) to being completely sedentary for about two and a half years, and it's been brutal on both my body and my mental health. I didn't have any concrete goals for 2023 besides "be less sedentary," which I kinda sorta achieved – I walked...not as much as I would like, but definitely more; and I followed a C25K program on and off over the course of the summer, and then actually was pretty good about running a couple of times a week through the fall – but it definitely doesn't feel like it stuck as just an automatic part of my daily routine, so I really want to have a more specific plan going into 2024.

My #1 goal is walking more. I have a treadmill desk that I currently dreadfully underutilize. My goal for 2024 is to walk a strict minimum of 5 miles every day (two hours of zoom meetings at 2.5mph – this should be totally doable) with a "stretch goal" of getting up to 10 mi/day, whether that's during the workday or just putzing around on my laptop or watching shows in the evening. I kind of want to get myself a little sticker chart or something lol, and treat myself to something fun for every 20 days I hit my stretch goal or something like that.

My #2 goal is getting back in the habit of lifting 3x a week, which I did for years before covid hit – strength training is my favorite form of exercise. I'm not going to set any specific numbers goals for now, I literally just want to get into the gym on M/W/F and do my basic routine. That's it, that's the goal.

Starting in April, I have a CSA box that I pick up a little over 5 miles away from my apartment. In the fall, I was able to run about 3 of those miles before tapping out; this spring/summer, I'd like to work my way up to running the whole route door-to-door every Saturday.

And last but not least, I really want to join the climbing gym near me – I think I would love climbing, it sounds like so much fun. I'm not interested in having to walk 20 min to get there in the winter, though; and also I'm not really interested in dealing with the post-new-year's crowds; and also also I'd like to build up some baseline strength again (see goal #2) before I start – so I think that will also be an April-ish kind of plan.

 

[cant_think_of_a_name]

@officehead The post new year's crowds are exactly why I'm not trying to try group classes until maybe April.

 

[lifeisablessing]

@officehead Oh man, this is me too. Went from an active job and weightlifting to studying full time mostly from home for 3 years. I’ve also moved to an area where walking is more of a challenge because there isn’t a nice nature walk right outside my apartment so I have to like make decisions about where to go and deal with traffic if I walk so I’ve been walking way less. The last few years have been both bad for my mental health but also good in some ways. I hit a kind of rock bottom and finally dealt with some mental health stuff I needed to process but now I’m sick having to start from scratch on my physical health and it just feels overwhelming. Looking forward to graduating in Jan and a Having an active job again, I think that’ll help the ball rolling.

 

[pollyjetix]

@nathan2018 I didn't set 2023 goals until recently, but work out 3x a week - done. Another goal that I didn't want to track but be mindful of was to take water breaks and quick walks whenever I could at work, also good on this.

For 2024, I'm going to add 2x a week of gentle movement 20 min, as a physical activity break. Take my supplements daily. Make coffee every morning on work days, for those midday slumps. And ramp up to 8 hours of sleep.

Fitness specific goals are to be able to do 10 pushups properly, and squat and dl my bodyweight.

 

[keaton]

@nathan2018 2023: I started to get back into fitness after two kids. My only goal was to get back into exercising regularly and include some strength training every week. I worked my way up to cardio 3x a week for 45 minutes and dumbbell work 3x a week for 30 minutes. I do yoga, walks, and Pilates in between and on my active rest day. I got on my skates three times this year.

2024:

-complete 12 week body weight exercise program I bought…THREE YEARS AGO and never got around to doing. Starting tomorrow!

-perfect my push-up and do 10 consecutively from my toes. Currently doing stairs and knees.

-roller-skate weekly in the summer

-Continue to build strength and increase the weight I can use. Currently using 8lb and 12lbs.

-I’m not weighing myself for the first 12 weeks of the year, and maybe for longer. I’m using the zozosuit instead to track my progress. I’d like to further drop my bf % from ~30% to ~25%.

 

[aprile]

@nathan2018 My 2024 goals include concentrating on mobility and functionality, supporting what I learned in physical therapy and not repeating back mistakes.

 

[pardonedbytheking]

@nathan2018 My 2023 goals involved losing 40 pounds, running a 5k, and having my lifts reach certain numbers. I ran the 5k! I lost most, but not all, of the weight (I have a pretty relaxed approach), and my strength goals were abandoned around autumn-time when I stopped making progress and switched most of my exercise and gym-time to running. I discovered to my dismay that I only have a certain amount of time in me every week to commit to fitness, and trying to do the “hybrid athlete” thing didn’t work super well. I feel pretty good about my year, regardless.

2024 goals:
* I still want running to be my primary focus. I’d like to run a half marathon this year; I’m eyeing the Rocky Mountain Half, especially because I was wanting to go camping in Colorado anyway. It’s at altitude, and it’s my first half anyway, so I don’t have a specific time goal, but just want to finish (and take in the gorgeous scenery ).
* Lose the rest of the weight (got about 10 pounds to go), then take an extended maingaining/recomping phase while maybe running a bodybuilding program. I’m looking at 3DMJ’s novice bodybuilding program, which is set up as a PHUL.
* I want to get back to strength training, especially heavy squats. Anecdotally I hear about how heavy squatting can help runners with hills, and also the squat is my enemy and I must conquer it.

To make it easier to get all this exercise in, I’m trying to arrange my work schedule so that I can do most of my running on my lunch breaks and then save the lifting for before/after work (it’s going to be after, let’s be realistic).