Actionable steps to set and achieve fitness goals in 2025.
1. Find your fitness baseline.
Get acquainted with where you’re at by taking a complimentary Equifit at your Equinox Club. This full-body assessment tool helps members better understand their fitness level with the goal of designing a personalized routine with help from an Equinox Coach. Schedule yours on the EQX+ app.
2. Train with an Equinox Coach.
Working with a Coach can help you achieve your goals quicker and more efficiently than if you were to go at it solo, says Travis DeSisso, Vice President of Personal Training at Equinox. Plenty of people know how to play an instrument, but only a few can actually compose the music, he explains. It’s the same scenario between a member who knows their way around the floor and is training for, say, a triathlon or a boost in muscle mass and a Coach who can craft a specific training program that helps you consistently progress toward that goal. “Why wouldn't you want to be efficient with your time and get there faster and safer?” says DeSisso. READ MORE
3. Stick to a routine.
Routines provide structure when there’s a long-term goal you’re trying to achieve. “Think about it: If your goal is to write a book, you likely won’t be able to write it all in one sitting,” says Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D., a behavioral therapist and the director of Soho CBT + Mindfulness Center. “But if you make it a routine to write a few pages a day, then you’ll be able to provide yourself an opportunity to reach goals that require long-term sustained effort by building a habit.” READ MORE
4. Embrace restorative care.
Taking a “no days off” mentality is a surefire way to stunt your progress, increase your chances of injury, and exhaust you both physically and mentally. “When you work out, you’re breaking down your body; during recovery your body repairs itself in a way that makes it better adapted to face the stresses it’s just been through,” explains James Gu, Senior Director of The Spa at Equinox. “Actively participating in recovery focused activities like getting a massage or contrast therapy allow your body to heal faster so that you can train harder, sooner.” READ MORE
5. Running a race? Enlist a buddy.
In the weeks of training leading up to the event, a race buddy keeps you accountable, says Angela Rubin, a Precision Run Coach at Equinox Chestnut Hill. New runners prepping for their first 5K, for instance, might struggle to get out of bed and head out for a run when their 6 a.m. alarm sounds. But having a friend waiting for you at the park will keep you from hitting that snooze button, she says. READ MORE
6. Increase your drive with resistance training.
Resistance training, like all exercise, triggers the production of neurotransmitters such as endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which can improve mood and increase motivation, drive, and alertness, says Toby Pasman, a board-certified neurophysiologist. Strength training has been shown to reduce C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker specifically linked to depression, as well, he adds. READ MORE
7. Attend a group fitness class for an energy boost.
Consider a Cycling class. You don’t need to maintain your RPMs to stay physically in the peloton, as you would out on the road, but the “pack mentality” still applies, says Equinox Vice President of Group Fitness Keith Irace. “Even though we're riding a bike that goes nowhere, there's still a little bit of that effect going on,” he notes. “You're motivated to just keep pace with the pack.” That means you might keep pedaling even as your legs start to feel like Jell-O. READ MORE