Start the New Year Strong: 10 Real Things I’d Do as a Coach to Set You Up for Long-Term Success

Forget quick fixes. Forget “challenges.” Forget punishing yourself after the holidays.
If I were building your plan to start the year strong and stay strong, here’s exactly what I’d do to help you build a life that works, now and 20 years from now.

These aren’t trendy tips. These are proven principles that support strength, health, confidence, and a body that serves you in your everyday life.

1. Train 3 Days a Week. 52 Weeks a Year.

The best set and rep scheme for anyone is three days of strength training per week, every week of the year.

That rhythm is enough to build lean muscle, keep joints healthy, support your metabolism, and give you the strength to do the things that matter — lifting grandkids, hiking on vacation, carrying groceries, or just feeling confident in your own skin.

You don’t need to overhaul your life. You need to commit to consistency.

3 days. 52 weeks. That’s your formula.

2. Prioritize Protein. Every Day. Every Meal.

Most women over 40 are undereating protein and wondering why they’re always hungry, losing muscle tone, or not recovering well from workouts.

Your goal: 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. That means if you weigh 150 pounds, you need at least 105 grams per day. If you’re working out consistently and trying to lose fat while keeping muscle, lean toward the top end of the range.

Start with breakfast. Make it high-protein and simple. Greek yogurt with berries and chia seeds. Protein shake with banana and nut butter. Eggs and oats. It doesn’t need to be gourmet. It just needs to be there.

Hit 25 to 40 grams of protein in your first meal and your energy, satiety, and muscle recovery will all improve.

3. Eat for Your Goals, Not Anyone Else’s

If your goal is fat loss, here’s the most practical guideline I use:

Calories = Bodyweight × 11 to 13

If you’re training 3 days a week and walking regularly, multiplying by 12 is a solid place to start.

For example:

• A 160-pound woman × 12 = 1,920 daily calories
• Keep protein at 0.7 to 1 gram per pound
• Then fill in carbs and fats based on preference and activity

And no, you don’t need to track forever. But it helps for a few weeks. It teaches awareness. From there, you can shift into a more intuitive style while staying dialed into your protein and overall consistency.

4. Walk Every Day. It’s the Hidden Superpower.

Walking is underrated and underutilized. But it’s one of the best forms of movement you can do — especially for fat loss, heart health, and recovery.

Minimum target: 7,500 steps per day. Optimal goal: 10,000.

Even if you strength train and do cardio, walking helps regulate blood sugar, support mood, and increase daily energy output without draining your recovery. Use a tracker if needed. Walk before or after dinner. Park farther away. Add a 10-minute walk after each meal. It all adds up.

Walking isn’t just about movement. It’s about momentum.

5. Do 3 Days of Cardio. But Make It Fit Your Life.

You don’t need to become a runner. But you do need to take care of your heart.

3 cardio sessions per week. 20 to 40 minutes.

Choose low to moderate intensity — walking at an incline, riding a bike, using the rower, hiking, or following a Zone 2 session. You should be able to breathe through your nose and carry on light conversation.

If you enjoy short bursts of higher intensity, go for it — but don’t sacrifice recovery. The goal is heart health, not exhaustion.

6. Anchor Your Days With Purpose, Not Pressure

The women who are most successful in their health and strength journey aren’t the most motivated. They’re the most anchored.

They know their why.

From Be Great Today, we know that purpose drives action. So before you jump into a new program or meal plan, stop and ask:

• What am I training for?
• Who do I want to show up strong for?
• What kind of energy and strength do I want 5 or 10 years from now?

This is about more than just weight loss. This is about living better.

7. Get Sleep on Lock

Sleep is your recovery engine. Without it, even the best workout or nutrition plan will fall flat.

Target 7 to 8 hours per night. Every night.

Build a nighttime routine that works in reverse.
If your wake-up time is 6:00 AM, your target bedtime is 10:00 PM.
One hour before bed, no screens.
Keep your room cool, quiet, and dark.
Get your phone out of the bedroom.
Use a real alarm clock if you need to.

Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a requirement for building a stronger, leaner, healthier body.

8. Don’t Chase Motivation. Create a Morning Routine.

You’re not supposed to feel fired up every morning. That’s normal.
The key is to have a system that moves you forward.

Here’s what I recommend:

• Wake up at the same time daily
• No snooze button — ever
• Get dressed, make your bed, move your body
• Eat your high-protein breakfast
• Stay off your phone for the first 30 minutes

Start the day with a win, not with someone else’s noise. That one shift can change your entire week.

9. Get Real Accountability

No one does this alone. Even coaches need coaches.
So do yourself a favor and find someone who will hold you to what you said matters.

Your accountability partner should:

• Care enough to tell you the truth
• Celebrate your wins
• Remind you of your why
• Keep you honest when you’re slipping

Whether it’s a coach, a training partner, or a close friend, set two check-ins per week. Stay real. Stay honest. You’ll go farther, faster, and with way more confidence.

10. Keep Food Simple. Stay Consistent. Don’t Overcomplicate It.

Most people don’t struggle with knowledge. They struggle with consistency.

Use a simple system:

• Pick 2 high-protein breakfasts
• Prep 2 easy lunch options
• Plan 4 or 5 dinners each week with lean protein, veggies, and healthy carbs
• Keep snacks basic: Greek yogurt, jerky, cottage cheese, fruit, protein shakes

The fewer decisions you have to make, the more likely you are to follow through.

Final Words:

There is no magic. But there is momentum.

Start with 3 strength sessions a week. Eat enough protein. Walk daily. Sleep with intention. Live on purpose.
Stack these habits and you’ll look up in six months, stronger, leaner, and more confident than you’ve been in years.

This is how you build a body that lasts. This is how you live Movement Strong.

Be Great Today. Then do it again tomorrow.