Before you set another fitness goal this year, there's something you need to rethink.
Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher are here to wish you a happy new year and kick off 2026 with a fresh, grounded perspective on health and exercise. In this episode, they cover five mindset shifts to help you enjoy workouts, focus on real results, and create habits that actually last. If you're ready to let go of what hasn't worked and start 2026 with clarity, confidence, and a healthier relationship with movement, this episode is your invitation to do exactly that. Make 2026 your healthiest year yet!
- Amy shares why New Year's exercise resolutions often feel motivating at first and discouraging by February. Many goals are built around outcomes instead of behaviors. This episode helps you rethink your approach so your plan actually fits real life.
- Shift #1: Process versus outcome. According to Dr. Fisher, goals don't have to be about a number or a finish line. They can be about committing to the actions you repeat each week.
- Amy explains why changing the process is what creates long-term success. Daily habits compound in ways one perfect result never can. People who make progress are the ones who keep doing the basics consistently.
- Shift #2: Exercise as enjoyment, not punishment. Amy shares why enjoying your workouts makes consistency easier. When exercise feels rewarding instead of miserable, you're far more likely to stick with it.
- Shift #3: Fat loss versus weight loss. Dr. Fisher and Amy explain why losing fat and maintaining muscle is the real goal. Strength training supports fat loss while protecting muscle. It's one of the most important investments you can make in your long-term health.
- Dr. Fisher explains why yo-yo dieting backfires. Calorie restriction often leads to muscle loss and a slower metabolism. When normal eating resumes, weight regain becomes almost inevitable.
- Amy shares a powerful reframe if weight loss has been your goal every January. Instead of trying to make yourself smaller, think about rebuilding yourself from the inside out. That shift changes how you approach food, exercise, and patience.
- Shift #4: Quality versus quantity. More workouts or longer sessions don't always mean better results. The right exercises, performed safely and with proper form, often deliver more with less time.
- Amy shares a personal story about feeling stuck and overwhelmed by exercise expectations. She believed change required hours in the gym and deep expertise. Discovering the power of short, high-quality strength sessions was a huge relief.
- Amy explains how learning proper exercise selection and technique changed everything. Once she stopped guessing and started working with a personal trainer, results followed. It finally felt sustainable.
- Dr. Fisher explains Shift #5: Active versus passive exercise. Simply moving through exercises isn't the goal. Being mentally engaged and intentional with each rep is where progress happens.
- Dr. Fisher explains why working with a personal trainer makes all of these shifts easier. A coach helps you stay engaged, cue the right muscles, and train with purpose instead of guesswork. This guidance turns exercise into something you enjoy, not a chore you endure.
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