It happens like clockwork. One year grinds to a stop. The next one starts right up. And the promises begin to flow.
‘This year I won’t do this or that,’ one will declare. ‘New year, new me!’ they insist.
‘This is the year that I do such and such,’ another swears on social media. ‘It’s my year of becoming!’ they caption a carousel of images showcasing the running gear they already bought in anticipation.
And they mean every one of those words. They shut down the open tab at their favourite local joint, get a fitness coach, and do a dry lap of their running route. They even manage to post, ‘One month into my health journey,’ without it being a lie. And then it goes quiet. No more progress to report.
But there are some, a few, who, when the year grinds to a halt, and the next begins, are still found in the wagon. They may be bruised and their shoes dusty, but a glow emanates from within them. Their eyes dance with knowledge and insight, and they acquire a hunger for more.
We caught up with a handful of these bright-eyed individuals who saw their goals through to the end of the year.
Vee Nyambura: Building strength, balance and consistency
Veronica ‘Vee’ Nyambura, an AI automation specialist and projects coordinator at Sagan Recruitment, wasn’t chasing a dramatic transformation. She simply wanted to feel stronger, have more energy, and improve her posture.
‘My goal was to lose a few kilos, tone up, and build a healthier routine overall,’ she says. ‘I wanted to create a lifestyle where movement was a natural part of my day.’
A long-time runner, Ms Nyambura says her motivation came from realising that her progress tended to rise and fall periodically.
‘A short break would undo everything,’ she explains. ‘I needed a more balanced and consistent routine, something that would build lasting results.’
Her approach unfolded in phases. She began with intermittent fasting, an 18:6 routine that involved fasting for 18 hours and eating within a six-hour window. She is quick to emphasise that this method works differently for everyone and advises consulting a professional before trying it.
‘For me, this rhythm, paired with short 2-3km runs three or four times a week, worked beautifully.’
But it wasn’t enough. Craving more structure, she joined a gym and committed to five sessions a week, with one day dedicated to a 4-6km run ‘just to keep the heart honest.’
Then came the diet overhaul. Wheat and soda were the first to go, in what she jokes was ‘a messy breakup’. She replaced them with healthier carbohydrates: sweet potatoes, nduma, alongside proteins and vegetables. Lots of vegetables. They accompany every meal.
Hydration became non-negotiable, with at least two litres of water daily. And finally, sleep – a minimum of seven hours – took its rightful place in her wellness plan.
‘I learnt that rest isn’t a luxury; it’s part of the workout.’
Piece by piece, these changes came together to create a routine that felt sustainable, energising and enjoyable. But it was not a perfect process.
‘There were days when my 18:6 fasting turned into 10:14, and some mornings when the gym felt like a distant dream and I couldn’t get myself through the door,’ she admits. But she never let it spiral.
‘Every time I slipped, I reminded myself that consistency is not a straight line. Some days you show up at 100 percent, and some days you only have 40 percent to give, and that still counts,’ she says.
‘What mattered most was getting back up the next day and choosing the routine again. Over time, the plan didn’t just evolve; I evolved with it.’
Interestingly, Ms Nyambura does not frame her hardest moments as challenges, but as sacrifices, particularly time.
‘Some days, finding even 30 minutes felt like a stretch,’ she confesses. ‘And convincing yourself to leave the warmth of your bed on those chilly July mornings? That’s a battle. You negotiate with yourself like it’s a hostage situation.’
Through this struggle, she learnt something important.
‘You don’t need huge blocks of time to transform your body,’ she says. ‘Some days all I could manage was a short run, a quick workout, or a simple stretch session. But once I started treating those small pockets of time as investments instead of inconveniences, everything changed.’
Today, Ms Nyambura weighs 58kg, down from 65kg. She feels stronger, is more toned and more confident in her body. But the most meaningful progress has been internal.
‘I’m calmer, more focused, and I handle stress so much better now,’ she says. ‘Working out stopped being about how I look; it became about feeling grounded, balanced and energised.’ Then she adds with a laugh, ‘I still want to look better!’
She also credits the physical effort with strengthening her mental resilience.
‘It’s amazing how sticking to a routine, pushing through tough workouts and showing up on hard days made me more disciplined, resilient and confident in other areas of my life.’
Not everything worked. Some workouts failed to deliver results, some foods didn’t agree with her, and she had to keep adjusting routines. All of this, she says, is part of the journey.
‘Nothing needs to be written in stone. Your body is always your best guide,’ she says. ‘Every ‘didn’t work’ is a lesson nudging you towards what truly does. Listening, adapting and being gentle with yourself makes all the difference.’
Her next chapter involves getting more toned and exploring movement beyond the gym – swimming, yoga, pilates, even dance – to challenge her body in new ways and make fitness more fun.
To those setting goals for 2026, her advice is simple.
‘Start where you are, however you can. Ten minutes, twenty, an hour-it all counts,’ she says. ‘Fitness isn’t a race, nor is it about perfection. It’s a journey with no destination.’
Maurice Mutwiri: Lean muscle, speed and discipline
Maurice Mutwiri, or Coach Maurice as he is better known, helps others achieve their fitness, nutrition and wellness goals. But this year, he became his own most demanding client. His target: 85kg of pure, lean muscle.
‘My previous goal had been to bulk up, which I did. But when you’re bulking up, putting on some fat is inevitable,’ he says. ‘So this year I wanted to shed the fat and drop the weight from 93kg to 85kg.’
That wasn’t all he was after. He also wanted to pack on more muscle and improve his speed, to become, as he puts it, ‘a big bad machine with speed’. The plan was simple: hybrid training and a caloric deficit.
‘In addition to lifting weights, I introduced running into my routine. I’m currently training for a marathon,’ he reveals. ‘And when it comes to nutrition, since the idea is to lean out, I need to consume fewer calories than my body burns. So I did the calculations based on my age, height and weight, and now I track and measure my proteins, carbs, vegetables – everything – before consumption.’
His motivation? Aesthetics. He is unapologetic about caring how his body looks.