Tommy's Take by Tommy Pomatico 12/29

How Not to Start Your 2026 Fitness Journey

Every January, gyms get packed, grocery carts fill with “healthy” food, and motivation is sky-high. And by February? Most people are right back where they started.

If you want 2026 to be different, first understand what not to do. Because the fastest way to fail your fitness journey is to repeat the same mistakes everyone else makes.

Here’s exactly how not to start.

1. Don’t Go All-In on Day One

Starting with:

  • 6 workouts a week

  • Zero carbs, zero sugar, zero fun

  • Two hours of cardio a day

  • 10 new supplements

…is a great way to burn out by week two.

Extreme starts feel productive, but they’re not sustainable. Your body adapts. Your mind quits.

What happens:

You miss a day → feel like you failed → spiral → quit.

Fitness isn’t about how hard you start. It’s about how long you can stay consistent.

2. Don’t Chase Hacks and Shortcuts

If your plan includes:

  • Detox teas

  • Fat burners as the main strategy

  • Ice baths for fat loss

  • Sauna “weight loss”

  • Waist trainers

  • Magic TikTok workouts

You’re already off track.

There are no hacks. There’s no secret. There’s just:

  • Calories in vs out

  • Lifting weights

  • Moving more

  • Eating protein

  • Sleeping better

Everything else is noise.

If it sounds easier than hard work, it probably doesn’t work.

3. Don’t Avoid Strength Training

If your idea of getting fit is:

  • Only cardio

  • Endless classes with no progression

  • “Toning” workouts with pink dumbbells

You’re leaving results on the table.

Muscle is what:

  • Raises metabolism

  • Shapes your physique

  • Improves insulin sensitivity

  • Keeps weight off long term

  • Makes you look good when the fat comes off

Skipping strength training is like trying to build a house without a foundation.

4. Don’t Starve Yourself

Slashing calories as low as possible might drop the scale fast…

…but it also drops:

  • Energy

  • Strength

  • Muscle

  • Hormones

  • Adherence

Then comes:

  • Binges

  • Weight regain

  • Slower metabolism

  • Frustration

The goal isn’t to lose weight as fast as possible.

The goal is to lose it while still training hard, recovering, and living your life.

Aggressive works short term. Smart works long term.

5. Don’t Rely on Motivation

Motivation is high in January.

Motivation is gone in February.

If your plan only works when you “feel like it,” it’s a bad plan.

Progress comes from:

  • Structure

  • Habits

  • Showing up when you don’t want to

The people who succeed aren’t more motivated.

They’re more consistent.

6. Don’t Copy Someone Else’s Plan

Your friend’s diet.

A pro bodybuilder’s split.

A celebrity’s routine.

A 120-lb influencer’s “what I eat in a day.”

Different:

  • Body size

  • Lifestyle

  • Schedule

  • Stress

  • Training age

  • Goals

What works for them may be terrible for you.

Random plans = random results.

7. Don’t Expect 10 Years of Work in 10 Weeks

You didn’t gain the weight in 2 months.

You won’t undo it in 2 months.

If you expect:

  • A six-pack by March

  • A total life transformation by spring

  • Perfection from day one

You’re setting yourself up to quit when reality hits.

Fitness rewards patience.

Not urgency.

So What Should You Do Instead?

Simple:

  • Start slower than you think you need to

  • Lift weights 3–5x/week

  • Walk more

  • Eat enough protein

  • Create a small calorie deficit

  • Track progress honestly

  • Build habits you can keep for years

Boring works.

Consistent works.

Simple works.

Final Thought

If you start 2026 the same way you’ve started every other year — extreme, emotional, chasing quick fixes — you’ll probably end it the same way too.

This year, don’t try to be perfect.

Try to be consistent.

Because the people who win in fitness aren’t the ones who go hardest in January…

They’re the ones still showing up in December.

— Coach Tommy

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