Andy Devaney
If January had a patron saint, it would probably be Joe Wicks—the human espresso shot who turned living rooms into PE halls back in 2020 and somehow made sweating in front of the sofa feel like a national service. With the Christmas wrappers barely in the bin, the message from Wicks is clear: don’t chase punishment, chase momentum.
He’s the rare breed of personal trainer who talks as much about your head as your hamstrings, and he’s not interested in you “starting Monday” so hard that you burn out by Thursday.
If you want to feel better, move more, eat smarter and keep your sanity intact, these are Joe Wicks’ core habits for getting the year going without turning your life into a boot camp.
1) Don’t be too extreme (January isn’t a court summons)
After a few weeks of festive excess, the temptation is to respond like you’ve been personally wronged by a tin of Quality Street. That’s when people reach for wild rules, joyless food and the kind of training plan that belongs in a Rocky montage.
Wicks’ top piece of advice is “don’t do anything too restrictive”. He warns against “a really low-calorie diet” and says, “Focus on making small changes,” because small changes are the ones you can still manage when work is chaos, the weather is grim, and you can’t be bothered.
2) Set your home up (make it easier, not heroic)
Motivation is a fragile thing. One missing gym bag or a journey in sideways rain and suddenly “I’ll go tomorrow” becomes a lifestyle.
For Joe Wicks, the fix is simple: remove friction. “Make your home your gym,” he explains. “Make your home the place where you work out, so it’s like 20 minutes here and there and easier to do and stick to.”
Not glamorous. Not complicated. But brutally effective—especially for anyone juggling family life, long hours, or a calendar that laughs at the idea of “free time”.
3) Focus on sleep health (because tired people make bad decisions)
January health kicks often obsess over food and exercise, then ignore the one thing that decides whether you’ll actually do either: sleep. When you’re exhausted, you crave the quickest comfort, skip the workout, and convince yourself you’ll “fix it next week”.
Wicks puts it plainly: “Sacrifice a bit of TV and get to bed an hour early, because that will make a huge difference to your mental health,” he says. And he’s right—sleep doesn’t just help recovery; it helps you behave like the kind of person who can keep a plan.
4) Plan ahead (the kitchen is where most goals go to die)
Eating well isn’t hard when you’ve got time, energy and a stocked fridge. It’s hard when you’re starving at 7pm, staring into a cupboard like it’s an escape room.
So Joe Wicks goes old-school practical: “Prep your meals like a boss,” says Wicks. “Get organised in the kitchen, planning meals for the week. Try to prep a few days in advance – that can really help you stay on track.”
Batch cook, freeze portions, and future-you will thank present-you—especially on the evenings when takeaway apps start whispering your name.
5) Don’t forget to treat yourself (sustainability beats suffering)
The fastest way to quit is to make your new lifestyle feel like a long sentence with no parole. Wicks’ approach is upbeat for a reason: it’s meant to last.
That includes the freedom to “allow yourself treats”. And he spells out what that looks like in real life: “Allow yourself stuff, so have a little chocolate bar or a glass of wine, because you don’t want to just give up all the things you love. It’s about long-term sustainability, as opposed to a really hard deprivation diet.”
That’s the point. Joe Wicks isn’t asking you to become someone else in January—just someone slightly more consistent.
The book
30 Day Kick Start Plan: 100 Delicious Recipes With Energy Boosting Workouts by Joe Wicks, photography by Andrew Burton, is published by Bluebird, priced £18.99. Available now.
