On January 1st, 2014, I published my first set of fitness goals. While a lot has changed over the years, my focus on health and fitness hasn’t. As I’ve done each year since those first fitness goals were published, here’s the plan for 2025.
When I published the first set of goals. the targets were simple – workout 160 days, walk 700 miles, and eat healthier. It’s a formula that has worked over the years, keep things simple. It’s what I did last year, and what I plan to continue to do this year. Before detailing this year’s plan, here are the results from last year.
2024 goal review
Working out
120 days was the goal last year. I made it to 100, which is pretty good given some unexpected personal events that took precedence. Plus, I changed up my routine the last few months of the year and replaced my Friday workout with a hike instead.
Physical activity
I made it over 1,000 miles last year – 1,003.75 to be exact. The number consisted of 742.5 miles of walking + hiking and 261.25 miles of running. I didn’t track any other activities, and fortunately I didn’t need to in order to check this one off the list.
Diet
Diet continues to be a work in progress. The field of nutrition is constantly evolving, but there are definitely some consistent themes that have emerged – avoid ultra-processed foods, cut-out added sugars, eat more natural foods such as vegetables and fruits, and mix in fermented foods where possible.
If there was one area where I made progress last year, it was in the fermented food category. I definitely upped my game there, and even experimented with making my own sauerkraut and other fermented fruits and vegetables. It’s been an interesting area to explore, and one I expect I will be doing a lot more experimentation with throughout 2025. It falls under the category of “protect the liver, feed the gut,” which was the biggest takeaway I took from Dr. Lustig’s book, Metabolical, which I would highly recommend.
The goals for 2025
If it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it, right? That’s the approach I’m going to continue taking over this next year. Of course, I’ll learn some new things that I’ll roll into these goals, but the overall themes are going to remain the same.
Working out
Since I really enjoy my Friday morning hikes, I’m going to cut back my work out goal to 75 days. I have a Monday-Wednesday rhythm going that I want to continue doing throughout the year. And there’s always the chance that I might change things up and add a Friday or two back in.
Physical activity
I like the 1,000 mile goal for walking, running, hiking, and cycling. It’s a nice, round number that’s easy to remember. I suspect the activities will consist primarily of walking and running, but who knows what the next year will bring.
Diet
It’s hard to get too specific here because my nutrition knowledge continues to evolve and grow based on what I read and how my body reacts to what I put into it. I’m going to continue my avoidance of ultra processed food and added sugar. I also plan to continue focusing on good carbs and practicing moderation among all things. The biggest change I am anticipating over the next year is the amount of fermented foods that I will add to my diet, which is going to be a function of how adventurous I decide to get. I’d also like to incorporate longer fasting intervals of 24-72 hours throughout the year, but that’s an area I haven’t been good at committing to over the past few years. At a minimum, I’ll stick with my daily intermittent fasting schedule of 14-18 hours, and if the opportunity presents itself, I’ll see if I can fit in a longer fasting period.
And just like that, another year is in the books. I’m looking forward to 2025 and continuing my fitness journey. I don’t know exactly what’s in store or how it will unfold, but one thing is certain. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot over the next year.