The Well

How to Refresh Your Health Routine After January

The prospect of a ‘new year and a new start’ seems simple when we have time on our hands after Christmas. But the January reality of frosty mornings, family life and work deadlines probably threw a spanner in your fresh start spirit quicker than you expected. Are we right?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to reflect on what you achieved (or didn’t), build a realistic routine that suits your lifestyle, and recommend simple tools to help you along the way. The result? A solid plan to Measure, Move, Recover and Repeat in a way that feels kind to you.

step 1: look back with curiosity, not criticism

Whether your progress was big, small or stagnant, take a few minutes to reflect on what worked and what didn’t.

Example questions:

What felt good? Maybe you slept better when you hit your step target, or felt uplifted after a short workout.
What felt hard or draining? Perhaps the 6am alarms didn’t stick, or your routine clashed with work, kids or social plans.
What stood in your way? Were work meetings or soreness preventing you from hitting the gym?

These questions aren’t a pass or fail. Treat January as a trial run for the 11 months ahead. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your perfect plan won’t be either.

step 2: build your minimum viable routine for February

Pin down what you can realistically manage each week. Ask yourself, ‘What is the minimum I could achieve?’ Make sure your Measure, Move and Recover routine works even during busy weeks.

move

Two 30-minute walks (take the dog too), plus one weekend family bike ride
Two home workouts and one longer weekend walk

measure

Weekly weigh-in with glo Essentials or glo Body Analyser
Track energy, sleep quality or mood

recover

A few minutes with a massage gun after workouts
Gentle 10-minute stretches a few times a week
Evening relaxation with a compression massage sleeve

Key message: If it still feels too much for a busy week, shrink it again.

step 3: pick a routine that fits your goals (and your life)

Your perfect routine is personal, but here are some examples:

The beginner runner

Move: One or two short runs during the week, plus a longer one at the weekend
Measure: Weekly check-ins using glo Body Analyser or note non-scale wins like improved endurance
Recover: Massage gun for calves and thighs, plus optional calf or knee compression wrap

The strength chaser

Move: Two after-work workouts and one weekend session, home or gym
Measure: Weekly or fortnightly check-ins; track strength gains or posture improvements
Recover: Focus on worked muscles with a compact massage gun

The busy, never-stop person

Move: Count daily activity (school runs, errands, steps) and add 5–10 minutes of stretching or short walks
Measure: Notice tension, sleep quality or joint ease; optional check-ins with glo Essentials
Recover: Massage gun and compression wrap for sore areas, part of an evening wind-down

These are starting points, not strict plans. The aim is to find what feels realistic for you now.

step 4: plan to adjust, not give up

Even the smartest routines will drift. Illness, work projects, school holidays and travel happen. Instead of waiting for everything to go off track and restarting next January, build in gentle reset points.

Once a month, or when your schedule changes, ask: