We're coming up to the end of Q1 for 2025, which for me, sounds a bit crazy to say.
In theory, this means you should be 10+ weeks closer to achieving your BIG annual goals. Maybe you're smashing things and you've already ticked a couple off already.
But what if you're not crushing it? What then?
Do you get disheartened and throw in the towel?
Or do you make some adjustments and make the next three-quarters immense?
You do the latter! As it's March, I'm going to go through how you can do a bit of a 'spring clean' with your health and fitness.
Let's get stuck in...
How To Declutter Your Health Routine
Review: How Has the Year Gone So Far?
First things first, you need to review how the year so far has gone.
If you're struggling, these questions are going to help you unlock the reasons why.
What’s worked? (What habits or strategies have helped you feel your best?)
What hasn’t worked? (What’s felt forced, unsustainable, or hasn’t delivered results?)
What am I lacking? (Am I missing structure, accountability, recovery, or balance?)
What can I improve or add? (What small adjustments would make the biggest difference?)
Take a minimum of 10-15 minutes to think about your answers. The goal here isn't to rush through these and get them done for the sake of it. We need clarity.
Please don't bullshit yourself because the only person you're doing a disservice to is you!
If you've been slacking on your sleep for the last month, be honest about it.
Been half-assing your workouts? Get clear on it.
Is work travel taking its toll? Put it done.
Be honest with yourself. Keep what works, remove what doesn’t, and refine the rest.
Once you've got your answers, you should have a much clearer picture of how your year has gone - good and bad.
Simplify & Strip Back If Needed
Then you move on to the next stage - simplifying your approach.
If your current approach feels complicated, overwhelming, or inconsistent, simplify it. Progress isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what works consistently.
This is the key to sustained long-term success. Following so-called 'expert' routines and challenging habits may sound good, but if you struggle to nail the basics, you have no right to be anywhere near 'complex'.
Here's what you can do:
Remove unnecessary complexity—you don’t need a 'perfect' diet or a rigid workout split. Instead, focus on becoming great at the simple things. If your workout routine is ending most weeks at 50% completion, then strip it back and make things simpler. Remember, simple doesn't mean less effective.
Cut back on things that drain you—if something isn’t serving you, let it go. Get clear on what gives you energy, but more importantly, what steals your energy. Maybe it's a person in your life or your Netflix addiction. You want to remove as many 'energy drainers' from your life as possible. Your energy and time are precious and finite. How you spend them has a big impact on your overall performance.
Focus on the essentials—prioritise sleep, movement, nutrition, and stress management. Again, we're going back to basics. You need to focus your efforts on what will move the needle with your health and fitness. If your sleep hasn’t been up to par this year, do something about it. Has stress been running out of control this month? Learn how to manage it better. The 'simple' stuff is the most effective.
Remember, the simpler and more sustainable your approach is, the easier it is to stick with.
Freshen Up Your Workout Routine
When you're clear on how you're going to simplify things, you can move on to the next stage—freshening up your workouts.
If your workouts feel stale or your motivation is dipping, look at spring as the perfect time to shake things up.
I hate terms such as 'freshen up' or 'mix things up' when it comes to workout programs. Changing every week or two for the sake of it, to stop yourself getting bored, won't get you very far. You need to be consistently attacking the same exercises week after week after week.
But, if you've been doing the same old stale program for months on end and your progress has only gone backwards, then it's the perfect time to try something new.
You don’t need to overhaul everything, but small tweaks can re-energise your training and get you progressing again.
You could:
Increase intensity or change your focus—try a strength-based phase, a new form of cardio, or set performance goals.
Adjust your schedule—if your current training split isn’t working, tweak your routine.
Add variety—try new exercises, train outdoors, or set a challenge for yourself.
Keep your workouts enjoyable, structured, and goal-driven—this keeps motivation high and the results coming.
Focus on One New Habit Every 2-3 Weeks
Next, you need to address your habits. One of the main problems I see with those who fail at making habits stick is that they do too much too soon.
They chuck too much on their plate, and they overwhelm themselves. The intentions are great, but the application is misinformed.
Sound familiar?
If so, here's how we're going to combat it.
Rather than trying to change too much at once and overloading yourself with an all-or-nothing mindset, instead, focus on one key habit at a time.
Pick a habit you've been struggling with, say sleep. You put this as your sole focus for 2-4 weeks until it feels much more automatic. Then you pick another, maybe that's your meal planning. Again, tackle this for 2-4 weeks.
These chunks of time give you the chance to spend your energy focused on one habit, rather than juggling 7 or 8 at a time. If you're new to health and fitness, it's very easy to overwhelm yourself with information and new habits.
It could look something like this:
Weeks 1-2: Improve hydration (e.g., 2-3L water daily).
Weeks 3-4: Increase protein intake at every meal.
Weeks 5-6: Improve sleep quality (consistent bedtime, no screens before bed).
Remember, stack small wins over time instead of trying to fix everything at once. Simplicity beats complexity.
Set Clear Goals for the Next 3 Months
To finish, you're going to set yourself targets for the next 3 months.
The next 90 days can either be a blur or a focused period of progress—the choice is yours. Instead of vague goals like “get healthier” or “train more,” set specific, measurable targets for the next 3 months.
These might look like:
Performance goal: (e.g., “Increase deadlift by 10kg,” “Run 5K in under 25 minutes.”)
Nutrition goal: (e.g., “Hit 120g+ protein daily,” “Reduce takeaways to once per week.”)
Lifestyle goal: (e.g., “Get 7+ hours of sleep consistently,” “Manage stress with daily walks.”)
Goals give you clarity, direction, and motivation—but only if they’re realistic and measurable. Treat your health goals like business ones. They need to be tracked and measured at regular checkpoints.
When you've got all that done, you're going to be more than ready to attack the next quarter of the year. If you put your head down and get the work done, you can easily end up making 6 months of progress in just 3.
See spring as your chance to reset, refine, and refocus—not start over, but adjust your approach so it works better for you.
✅ Review what’s working and what isn’t.
✅ Strip back and simplify your habits.
✅ Refresh your workouts to keep progressing.
✅ Build one habit at a time instead of doing everything at once.
✅ Set clear goals for the next 90 days.
Small adjustments lead to long-term results.
Remember, focus on progress, not perfection.
My coaching program, The Paradigm Project, helps ambitious entrepreneurs, c-suites, & business owners live a healthier, stronger, and all-around better life.
Most importantly, one of the main aims of the program is to help every single client achieve pain-free performance!
If you are in the mood to transform your health & fitness, then life-changing results are within your reach.
Click on the link to book your free coaching call and we can build a plan that changes your life!
Quote for the day
"Life is a succession of lessons that must be lived to be understood"
- Helen Keller
This sums up your health and fitness journey. The only way you can improve, it to climb into the 'trenches' and get your hands dirty.
Be ok with setbacks and failures because they teach you lessons. Only then can you improve and progress forward.
Right, go be great!
- Mark
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s a few ways I can help you:
