Now that you’ve decided to commit to eating one more plant every week in 2026, Start TODAY trainer Stephanie Mansour has an easy idea to help you build the foundation of a fitness routine.
When a new year rolls around, many people overcommit to restrictive weight loss programs and are unable to sustain those lifestyle changes. Most people give up their resolutions at some point January, research shows. That’s why Mansour recommends focusing on small steps that you can keep up for a lifetime.
In fact, that’s the entire mentality behind the one fitness resolution she wants every one to make for 2026, which she discussed in the the Start TODAY app’s Holiday Helper audio guide.
Trainer Resolution: Move 5 Minutes Every Day
While Mansour doesn’t necessarily discourage high-commitment programs like the 75 Hard Challenge, she instead encourages reflecting on your body’s needs and being realistic about your current abilities.
So, if 75 Hard isn’t in the cards for you, take its inspiration of wanting to do something to better yourself every day, and apply it to something more attainable, Mansour suggested. The goal is “to see some sort of result that’s going to keep you in the game and mentally on track and motivated,” she added.
Her go-to recommendation for beginners is to move five minutes every day. “Everyone thinks I’m crazy until they actually do it, five minutes only,” she said.
The Start TODAY app has tons of 5-minute workouts, whether you’re looking to build strength with dumbbells, increase your metabolism with HIIT, or tone up with bodyweight exercises.
Why It Matters
Mansour loves this approach because it “requires getting in your workout clothes, putting on your workout shoes,” she explained.
“(Make) that a daily goal for just five minutes, and if you end up going longer, you end up going longer. But the point is this is very brain-based,” she continued.
“I want you to be like Pavlov’s dog. I want you to start salivating when you put your shoes on and you’re getting ready, you know it’s time for your workout. Then after it’s five minutes, you’re done. (You can tell yourself), ‘I did a great job. I can’t wait to come back and have this feeling again tomorrow.’ Leave yourself wanting more.”
How to Get Started
As Mansour said, the first step is to make the commitment to yourself and actually follow through by putting on your workout gear and moving for five minutes. It doesn’t need to be high-intensity either, Mansour explained. It just has to be an activity you’re performing with the sole intention of moving your body.
Some five-minute workout examples she recommended:
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Walking inside or outside — but don’t multitask! Focus on walking only.
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Stretching: Show your body some love and release tension with this gentle 5-Minute Gratitude Stretch in the Start TODAY app.
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Strength training: Get your heart rate up with this 5-Minute Cardio & Core Workout in the Start TODAY app or build strength with a 5-Minute Full-Body Bootcamp, also in the Start TODAY app.
“(It’s) going build your confidence and commitment to yourself,” she added.
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com