New Year, New Fitness Goals: How to Make Resolutions Stick

It’s that season again. Fridges are stuffed with fresh produce, gyms are buzzing with activity, and countless individuals are set on finally achieving their weight loss and muscle gain objectives.

Getting fit ranks high on many 2026 resolution lists, with almost half of Americans committing to exercise more next year. However, there’s a tough reality: only about 9% manage to stick with it for a full year.

Discuss this with any biohacker, and they’ll reveal reasons why fitness resolutions often falter, along with tips on making them lasting.

Research indicates that a significant number of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions by the second Friday of January, aptly named “Quitter’s Day.”

Griff Long, a seasoned professional athlete and leader in the fitness sector, noted, “People give up on their fitness goals due to lack of visible results. If you don’t see them, it feels ineffective.”

He emphasizes the importance of providing the right tools to track progress.

That’s what Long and his team at Upgrade Labs aim to accomplish. This AI-driven longevity center helps users tailor workouts, recovery routines, and lifestyle habits, allowing them to monitor their outcomes in real time.

“There aren’t any mirrors here; the mirror is your data,” stated Dave Asprey, the founder of Upgrade Labs and a significant figure in the biohacking movement.

He added, “We aim to clarify what works, demonstrating its effectiveness so you no longer have to guess.”

With eight locations across the U.S. and Canada, memberships start at $189 monthly, and every experience kicks off with a cellular health assessment.

This non-invasive scan evaluates your body on a cellular level, analyzing over 4,000 biomarkers, including body fat percentage, muscle mass, and hydration, all in just two minutes.

Following that is a mobility evaluation via the AI movement trainer. Cameras offer a 360-degree view of your movements, while algorithms identify any imbalances or restrictions.

“If you’re significantly overweight and basing your weight loss solely on willpower, chances are you will not succeed,” Asprey advised.

Long affirmed, “We assess everything regarding your body and provide a report identifying weaknesses you may not have been aware of, allowing us to address them.”

He elaborated, “If you can’t measure it, improvement is unlikely.”

Data collected is fed into an AI program to create a custom plan utilizing Upgrade Labs’ workout and recovery resources. Members are encouraged to retake the tests with each visit to monitor progress.

Asprey recounted a case where a woman leveraged their technology to lose six pounds of fat while gaining six pounds of muscle over six weeks: “You might not notice those changes on the scale.”

This closer examination of internal metrics, according to Long and Asprey, significantly increases the chances of meeting goals and noticing actual improvements.

If you’re seriously overweight and counting on sheer willpower to shed pounds, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment, Asprey explained.

Asprey knows this firsthand, having started his fitness journey weighing 300 pounds in his mid-20s. He dedicated 90 minutes a day at the gym six days a week for 18 months and saw no reduction in his waist measurement.

“I was pushing hard but not seeing results because I was overtraining, and I lacked knowledge on proper eating and sleep,” he said, stressing those are crucial factors.

He pointed out that recovery is just as vital as exercise in the fitness equation.

“The biggest insight in biohacking lies in whether your body adapts or merely feels stressed after a workout, and how quickly it recovers,” Asprey shared. “Overtraining or insufficient sleep leads to a negative state called inflammation.”

This persistent, low-level inflammation can result in various issues, such as fatigue, cognitive fog, joint stiffness, digestive troubles, and weight gain. It’s also tied to age-related ailments like heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.

“When you come to Upgrade Labs, our technology helps diminish inflammation and signals your body to start either building muscle or burning fat safely,” Asprey mentioned. “The outcome is improved well-being and increased energy.”

That little extra motivation could make the difference between a fleeting New Year’s resolution and a sustained lifestyle change.