Now that we are into 2025, let’s refocus our energy on our theme for the year. Just as a business or a school has a mission statement, it is time for each of us to embrace our own personal “storyline” for 2025. Maybe your theme is “progress,” then that would be the underlying foundation of your actions. Or if your theme is “health,” then your decisions in 2025 would revolve around what is best for your wellness.
I like to review 2024 and take what made me happy, productive and fulfilled and continue those habits in 2025. And then I sift through what made me feel less happy, less accomplished and less satisfied and eliminate those energy suckers in 2025.
Here are a few hacks that I currently use or plan to use in 2025. I have divided these into fitness hacks, lifestyle hacks and health hacks.
FITNESS HACKS
Set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier than your usual wake-up time. Now get in a quick 20-to-30-minute workout before work.
Make ready your clothes, equipment, water bottles, podcast, headlamp etc. for exercise the night before so that ideally, you can roll out of bed and roll right into your running shoes, onto your bike, rowing machine, elliptical or your mat for strength work. Ideally, exercise in the morning when there is little competing for your time. That way, you will feel the energy and mental spark from the workout throughout your entire day.
Incorporate some strength and mobility work as often as you can. This does not have to take a huge amount of time. I tend to do my foot strengthening and back mobility while I am on the phone with my earphones allowing me to be hands-free. I do some band work to strengthen my hips (which helps my knees and feet) while I wait for something to heat in the microwave.
For athletes I coach, I incorporate their strength right in the middle of a run or ride or row to ensure that it gets done since it is easy to finish the cardio piece but harder to add on a strength piece to the tail end of a workout. I know this because I am human too and, in the past, I would rather run an extra 15 minutes than spend those 15 minutes doing kettlebell swings. Now, older and wiser (I hope), I set aside 15-20 minutes for strength work three times per week. I stand taller when I do my strength work, and I feel less stiff when I stretch and do some simple mobility work.
I suggest downloading the ROM Coach from the app store and running through a few routines depending on your sore spots. I do the Slumpy Psoas stretch a few times per day and as I get out of bed to help with my stiff back. I also do the Segmental Spine with a foam roller to open my vertebrae. And I do the Strong Feet routine.
When you are debating whether to work out, visualize how amazing you will feel physically and how accomplished you will feel mentally when you are done the session.
That should be enough to pluck you from your cozy bed or comfy couch. Think about the regret you will feel for skipping the workout and how any regret will last hours longer than the actual session. Always give yourself 10 minutes of running or biking or rowing or swimming or weights and if you really hate it, then stop. But I am pretty sure that most days, you will finish the workout, and your breakfast will taste so good. You will be energized, and you will be your best self for the rest of the day (and you will feel proud as well).
LIFESTYLE HACKS
Touch things once. For example, when you come home from work or the gym or school and you inevitably drop your bag on a chair, unload the items directly into their rightful place in your home. Put the file in your filing cabinet. Put the book on your desk. Put your leftover lunch in the fridge. Put your dirty dishes right into the dishwasher. You get the idea. This is a massive timesaver.
Don’t let your head outsmart your gut. If your gut says no to a decision, don’t let your head talk you into doing something you really don’t want to do.
You must do the things you don’t want to do. You must get out of your comfort zone. What you want—what you truly want—usually is on the other side of something uncomfortable. The body you seek is found in the workouts you skip. The friendship you want is found in the hard conversations you avoid or delay. Action makes the heart sing. Fulfillment is on the other side of the comfort zone.
Learn to use the word “yet.” Instead of saying “I cannot run,” say “I cannot run yet.” “I am not a good enough swimmer to do a triathlon,” becomes “I am not good enough yet.” YET is a three-letter word that says that you are capable of anything if you want it bad enough.
If you have had a stressful conversation or feel stuck in a negative tailspin, change your stimulus. Move. Exercise. Mood follows action. Get unstuck by doing 10 minutes of strength or mobility or go for a walk. Try to do some of your meetings in motion. Have a phone meeting while you are out for a walk or walk around your office or your house as you chat. Phone calls are a great time to stand up and move around. Sitting is so tough on the body especially as our body gets a little less flexible over time.
My physiotherapist, Steve Hill, always says to me “Motion is lotion.”
Organize your tasks into buckets either mentally or on paper. For example, I try to make phone calls on certain days and at a certain time rather than making them all day long. Each phone call is super important and necessary, but it distracts me from writing, coaching, researching and learning. So, I have phone call blocks and writing blocks and research blocks and coaching blocks and learning blocks.
I also try to bucket “general maintenance” which includes banking, accounting and general paperwork which is necessary but none of it makes me a better speaker, author, coach or consultant.
Keep a daily journal. I have kept a journal for over 30 years. It started as a training log but has evolved into a “life log.” I write down everything that matters to me in my journal. That includes:
1. Workouts since those are small daily wins and accomplishments for me each day.
2. How I felt on that day—sad, happy, angry, lonely—then I can see patterns in my actions and feelings and can try to remedy them or replicate them.
3. Aches and pains and illness—then I can track the events that may have led to those issues.
4. What I did that day. I love looking back and seeing comments such as “visited family” or “started the drive to Florida at 4:30 a.m.—stopped at 8:00 p.m.—stayed at this particular hotel and found a great grocery store.”
Routine is a good thing. Variation is also good. Try not to make a routine of your less-than-ideal habits. It is ok to skip a workout once or eat unhealthy once but when it becomes a routine, then a downward spiral begins. Miss once. Do not miss twice.
HEALTH HACKS
Eat unprocessed foods as much as possible. If it is white or cooks quickly then it is processed. The only good time to eat processed foods is during or right after training since they will be absorbed quickly as fuel. This is so easy and yet so hard. Give yourself some grace but make the effort.
Choose food with limited added sugar. Yogurt is healthy but if your yogurt has 26 grams of sugar then it is not worth it. Instead, eat plain yogurt and add blueberries and oats. Yes, fruit is ok since it contains naturally occurring sugar and fruit also has fibre. Win-win!
Avoid drinking your calories. Coke, juice and alcohol are empty calories and do nothing to satisfy your hunger or nutritional needs. Some people drink 1,000 calories each day which is massive.
A lacrosse ball is your friend. Use it to release your fascia and loosen tight muscles.
Bands can provide great resistance training and are portable. I can work my quads, hips, glutes, feet and calves with a simple resistance band.
Need a simple circuit with no equipment? Do air squats, jump squats, lunges, push-ups, side-to-side lunges, sliders, bird-dogs, side planks, triceps dips using a chair and grab that resistance band for even more options.
Consistent daily routines trump infrequent bursts. Let’s have a great 2025 and beyond. Find your theme. Be true to the person you want to be. In fact, if you are a dog owner, you know
how much your dog loves you and respects you. Well, BE the person your dog thinks you are! There is only one way to be perfect but thousands of ways to be great. Let’s be great!
You may also like: Winter Running Tips from a Pro
Read This Story in Our 2025 Inspiration Issue
Plus, meet the 36 fitness instructors named Canada’s Top Fitness Instructors in this issue. We’ve also got delicious plant based recipes, how to meal prep for success, make meaningful resolutions, practical fitness hacks, healthy morning habits and so much more!
