End 2025 Strong

First, can you believe I am already talking about the end of 2025?! This shows how precious time is. For the past 16 years, we have watched time being wasted...a pattern happens as we approach the end of the year: 

• A percentage of current members go MIA during the holiday season. Travel, parties, school breaks, and busy schedules give many people the attitude of, “I’ll start fresh in January.”
• Possible new members reach out for information, then say “Thanks, I’ll wait to start in January.” 

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What the heck is it with January? Given the fact that most New Year’s resolutions fail, waiting until January 1 isn’t a strategy; it’s a stall tactic. 

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If this is your MO, I have some thoughts and advice. 

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Mindset > Motivation

I may sound like a broken record, but…motivation is an emotion. It comes and goes. Mindset is a choice. 

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The all-or-nothing mindset can derail you. You don’t have to train harder — just consistently. You don’t have to be perfect — just present.

The comparison trap ("I'm not as strong as the others." "I can't do what they do.") serves no one.

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And don't get me started about negative self-talk ("I'm too far gone." I'll never be fit.").

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Here’s the truth: those who are the most successful at Vero Strength aren’t the most athletic or physically the strongest - but they do have the strongest mindsets. They don’t compare themselves to others, they get over their intimidation and they refuse to break the habit of showing up.

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For Those of You Waiting: Why Starting Now Matters

Everyone wants to feel strong and confident in the gym — but that takes time. It takes weeks, if not months, to learn proper movement patterns and even longer to build strength.

When you start now, you buy yourself the time most people waste. By January:

• You’ll already feel comfortable in the gym.
• You’ll know what you’re doing — how to move, what to lift.
• You’ll have momentum while everyone else is trying to find their footing and build a new habit. 

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A few quick facts:

• Holiday weight gain is real—and it tends to stick. Large studies show average gains around 0.7–1.1 lb from mid-Nov to early Jan, and much of it isn’t fully lost in spring/summer. Over the years, that’s how “just a pound or two” compounds.
• Muscle takes weeks to build and is easier to keep than to rebuild. Meaningful hypertrophy (muscle gain) usually needs ~8 weeks of consistent training; short breaks (a couple of weeks) don’t erase gains, but longer layoffs start to cost you. 
• The idea that habits take 21 days to build has been debunked. The best data shows around ~66 days to build a behavior. Starting now makes January easier because you already have a new routine. 
• Frequency matters. Most people maintain or progress on 2–3 strength sessions/week if they’re intentional. I'll restate a point above - stopping training for more than a few weeks can lead to muscle loss.

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The Game Plan

You don’t need to overhaul your life — just anchor a few key habits fromw now through the end of the year:

1. Train 2–3 times per week. Don’t chase perfection; just don’t stop moving.
2. Prioritize protein. It supports muscle and keeps you full when the party food shows up.
3. Hydrate intentionally. One glass of water before every meal or cocktail.
4. Sleep. Recovery keeps your immune system and energy on track.

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Again, there’s nothing magic about January 1. The real magic is in showing up when it would be easier not to.

Show up - or start - now, and you’ll thank yourself later. While others are battling the holiday hangover, you can build habits, build or keep muscle, and roll into January already feeling strong.