How to get back on track with New Year’s resolutions — even if you’ve already quit

Millions of Americans are already giving up on their New Year’s resolutions less than three weeks into 2024.

But experts are pleading with people not to quit col turkey, saying they can simply modify their goals to make them more attainable.

A disheartening 25% of all resolution-makers give up by the end of the first week of January, according to The Ohio State University.

But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Personal trainer Luke Zocchi says many make their resolutions too ambitious to achieve, meaning they’re setting themselves up for failure.

“You haven’t failed—you probably just didn’t have a great New Year’s resolution,” Zocchi told Vice. “The trick to fitness goals that stick is not big resolutions but gradual, sustainable change that works for your lifestyle.”

For instance, most people make plans to hit the gym 5 days a week, even when they’ve never been before.

Instead, Zocchi recommends people start with a more manageable goal to see how it fits around other commitments.

“Even if it’s just 10 minutes, one or two days a week, success creates motivation—and that cycle snowballs,” he explained.

“Everyone comes out swinging at this time of year, but if you’ve never even run around the block, do you really expect to be running a marathon by the third week in January?” the ripped hunk asked.

The PT — who is the head trainer for fitness app Centrd — says it’s always easier to set smaller goals, and it’s not too late to alter your ambitions for 2024.

“Bring it back to small, healthy habits that you can stack up as the year progresses,” Zocchi declared. “By starting small and building yourself up, you’re not just giving yourself a way in, you’re setting yourself up for success in the long run.”

But if you’re already thinking about ending your gym membership or giving up on daily planks and push ups, Zocchi has some other advice: experiment until you find something that doesn’t feel like a chore.

 “If you’re only sure what you DON’T enjoy (such as being at the gym at 5 AM), work backward to set your anti-goals (working out in your lunch break instead),” he explained.

The bottom line: anything is better than nothing, and you can always modify your resolutions without feeling like a failure.

“The road to your goals is never going to be linear,” Zocchi declared. “Even for people who work in health and fitness, it’s always two steps forward, one step back.”