![\"Kids](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2025_12_BramCheerNewYears_0.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\nWhen the clock strikes midnight on January first, many people make big promises like cutting out sugar, eliminating carbs, or committing to daily workouts.<\/p>\n
According to\u00a0Personal\u00a0Trainer and\u00a0Cheer\u00a0Coach\u00a0Jessica\u00a0Bram, this pattern is all too common,\u00a0but few\u00a0people\u00a0follow through. She\u00a0says many New Year\u2019s resolutions fall apart\u00a0because the goals people set are\u00a0simply too extreme.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything in moderation. I encourage an 80-20 split. Eating\u00a0healthy but\u00a0also enjoying the things you like so that you\u00a0don’t\u00a0end up binge eating or falling off the wagon. Then, do your best to\u00a0maintain\u00a0that\u00a0balance\u00a0all year round,\u201d says Bram.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Setting clear, realistic, and measurable goals can improve long-term success\u00a0notes Bram.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor myself,\u00a0I\u00a0like to set\u00a0smaller goals that I know I can\u00a0attain\u00a0so I\u00a0avoid\u00a0disappointment.\u00a0Being\u00a0more\u00a0specific\u00a0also makes\u00a0it\u00a0easier for me to\u00a0reach them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to Bram,\u00a0incorporating physical activity\u00a0into\u00a0daily life is essential\u00a0and\u00a0choosing\u00a0activities\u00a0that\u00a0align with\u00a0personal\u00a0interests\u00a0supports long-term\u00a0adherence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon’t\u00a0try to be something\u00a0you’re\u00a0not.\u00a0Make\u00a0it something\u00a0that\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0passionate about.\u00a0And\u00a0then,\u00a0write\u00a0it down.\u00a0I find\u00a0it\u00a0helps\u00a0mentally prepare you\u00a0for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
An all-around approach\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bram emphasizes that health and wellness extend beyond physical\u00a0fitness and\u00a0weight loss, promoting a balanced approach to overall well-being.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my goals\u00a0is\u00a0to do more stretching, one thing that I\u00a0don’t\u00a0do as much.\u00a0Also,\u00a0I have a lot of\u00a0anxiety,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0go to therapy for that.\u00a0Healing and learning new ways to cope with it\u00a0is another one of my goals,\u201d Bram shares.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bram says\u00a0she\u00a0initially\u00a0started running to support her mental\u00a0health,\u00a0and it\u00a0helped\u00a0her feel better. After her uncle\u2019s wife passed away, she\u00a0encouraged him to take up\u00a0running,\u00a0which she says has\u00a0been beneficial for him as well.\u00a0As a\u00a0fitness professional,\u00a0one of her passions\u00a0is\u00a0helping others find ways to improve their mental\u00a0well-being.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRunning can\u00a0help\u00a0you mentally,\u00a0especially\u00a0when\u00a0you’re\u00a0going through hard stuff.\u00a0It’s\u00a0a moment\u00a0where you can let out sadness or anger and clear your mind,\u201d\u00a0says Bram.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A family affair\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bram, who has four active young children with husband\u00a0Ryan,\u00a0says her children naturally\u00a0pick up\u00a0healthy habits by seeing their parents stay active. She notes they often join in runs and workouts, even creating their own exercise routines, which\u00a0teaches them the\u00a0value\u00a0of a\u00a0balanced lifestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen\u00a0our\u00a0kids see us do it, they just automatically do it.\u00a0I think\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0important for their future to see that\u00a0being active is a normal part of life for everyone. We\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have to force them.\u00a0They want to copy\u00a0us,\u00a0often\u00a0asking\u00a0to\u00a0come for a run\u00a0or\u00a0jumping\u00a0in when they see me doing a\u00a0workout on\u00a0YouTube.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bram\u00a0says\u00a0running is an activity the family particularly enjoys together.\u00a0Some of the children have even\u00a0begun\u00a0training\u00a0for 10K, 5K and\u00a01K races.\u00a0She says\u00a0the\u00a0sense of accomplishment and the positive energy\u00a0they\u00a0feel after completing a run, whether\u00a0long, short or\u00a0a personal best, is what motivates them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Each New Year\u2019s Eve,\u00a0Bram\u00a0and her husband,\u00a0Ryan,\u00a0sit down with their\u00a0children\u00a0to\u00a0create a family\u00a0bucket list\u00a0and set realistic goals,\u00a0which they then write on a poster board to track throughout the year.\u00a0A\u00a0tradition\u00a0Bram\u00a0says is\u00a0valuable\u00a0to\u00a0set them up for success.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bram,\u00a0whose four\u00a0young children\u00a0practice\u00a0cheer\u00a0recently\u00a0returned to the sport\u00a0herself. She has\u00a0joined\u00a0an\u00a0adult rec team at Phoenix Cheer Athletics\u00a0alongside other parents, some with prior\u00a0experience\u00a0and others\u00a0new to the sport.\u00a0She\u00a0says she is\u00a0excited about the opportunity\u00a0to\u00a0both\u00a0serve as\u00a0a role model and\u00a0to\u00a0witness\u00a0hard work\u00a0firsthand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0full circle moment to be able to do it at the same time as my daughter.\u00a0I think\u00a0it’s\u00a0going to be\u00a0very special.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0also\u00a0eye-opening being a coach and teaching the kids to do\u00a0things that we\u00a0will also be doing ourselves.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
She adds that participating has\u00a0humbled some\u00a0parents and coaches, giving them\u00a0a greater appreciation\u00a0for the effort children put in\u00a0and\u00a0highlighting the\u00a0need to be more diligent\u00a0in showing\u00a0kids the proper way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the community\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bram runs\u00a0six-week boot\u00a0camp sessions\u00a0twice a\u00a0week, combining strength-building exercises, endurance training and varied workouts inspired by her gymnastics\u00a0background.\u00a0Every Monday\u00a0Bram\u00a0has the participants perform\u00a0fitness tests.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times people are so focused on their weight and not necessarily on\u00a0their strength.\u00a0Through our fitness tests,\u00a0participants see progress, like how many more push-ups they can do than when they started, highlighting\u00a0both their physical and mental growth as they achieve\u00a0exercises\u00a0they once thought they\u00a0couldn\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s\u00a0the sense of community and enjoyment that motivates people to stick with it over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a nice night out\u00a0for all the women to be together and exercise and talk and laugh,\u201d says Bram.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sensible goal setting advice<\/p>\n
Susan Turner, owner of Connections Wellness and\u00a0yoga\u00a0teacher,\u00a0says many people\u00a0put too much pressure on\u00a0themselves,\u00a0making change harder than it needs to be.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0important to remember that\u00a0we’re\u00a0all in this\u00a0together,\u00a0and no one has it all figured out, even though it might look like it from the outside,\u201d says Turner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Turner also says\u00a0when people experience a\u00a0setback,\u00a0they\u00a0can\u00a0decide\u00a0to take a growth\u00a0mindset\u00a0and see how to learn from it.\u00a0She notes\u00a0people\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0feel like they need\u00a0to figure everything out\u00a0immediately.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0ok to change and adapt over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you miss a day,\u00a0you’re\u00a0not a failure,\u00a0you’re\u00a0human. Just\u00a0keep going,\u201d says Turner\u00a0<\/p>\n