Habits and Hustle: Episode 524

Guest: Liron Kayvan

Topic: How to Make Fitness Goals Stick And The Top Fitness Trends This Year

Host: Jen Cohen
Date: January 30, 2026

Episode Overview

In this energetic and candid Fitness Friday episode, host Jen Cohen welcomes back fitness expert and gym owner Liron Kayvan for a no-nonsense chat about the cyclical nature of New Year’s fitness resolutions, why most goals fizzle out within weeks, and the realistic strategies that actually lead to lasting health habits. They break down the top three fitness trends for 2026, emphasizing the importance of “non-negotiables,” and weigh in honestly on everything from home gym tech to the social dynamics of working out. Listeners will hear empowering, practical advice and sage reminders on cutting through fitness noise and building routines that endure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Most New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Fail

• Jen and Liron poke fun at the annual reset ritual, noting the surge and rapid decline of gym attendance every January.
  • Jen: “Did you know that the second Friday of January is when the majority of people start falling off? I think it was like 80% of people.” (03:24)
• They critique “kicking the can down the road” thinking—delaying healthier habits until January, which backfires.
  • Liron: “That's the problem with the New Year's resolution is you're basically just like kicking the can down the road 100%.” (04:04)

2. The Power of Non-Negotiables in Fitness Habits

• Both Jen and Liron emphasize establishing hard “rules for life” that reduce decision fatigue.
  • Jen: “I believe in giving yourself particular rules of life to keep you accountable.” (08:45)
  • Liron: “I call it hard lines... rules that you just follow and you kind of go on autopilot and you just don't think about it anymore.” (09:18)
• Jen’s personal examples: walking instead of driving for anything within 2 miles, never scheduling work before exercise.
  • Jen: “If there's anything that I have to do or go that is under 2 miles, I will walk it…I won't get into a car.” (07:51)
  • Jen: “I will not take a meeting, do a podcast or schedule something that is work related until I exercise first.” (10:31)

3. Top 3 Fitness Trends of 2026

a. Interval Walking and Low Impact Training

• The number one search trend: Interval Walking.
  • Jen: “Interval walking has been the number one searched fitness trend for 2026… Anybody can participate… walking, I think, beats out everything.” (05:22, 05:51)
  • Both agree walking’s low barrier to entry and wide-ranging health benefits are underrated.
  • They mention the “12-3-30” trend (treadmill at 12% incline, 3 mph, 30 minutes).
  • Liron: “Trying to keep that pace and that incline for 30 minutes was challenging.” (07:26)

b. Recovery: Rest, Sleep, Saunas, and Cold Plunges

• Recovery modalities are a top concern.
  • Jen: “Recovery is the other thing that's become number two on the list in terms of top searches– like cold plunging, saunas.” (14:49)
  • Liron: “Recovery is something that people still, no matter how much they know … it's still under appreciated by most people.” (15:34)
• Both promote sleep as the ultimate recovery tool.
  • Liron: “Sleep. Number one. Yeah … good long sleep.” (16:03)
  • Jen shares that even busy, successful people (e.g., Matthew McConaughey) prioritize sleep.
• Jen prefers sauna to cold plunges—especially for women, citing hormone concerns.
  • Jen: “I think it's terrible for your hormones for women. I think it's good for men. I don't think it's great for women. And I just don't like it.” (18:20)
  • Both agree that personal preference is key: “Not everything is for everybody.” (19:41)

c. Home Gyms and Fitness Tech

• Home workouts and connected fitness gear are resurgent.
  • Jen: “Home gyms and fitness tech. So that's a big one.” (21:48)
• Technology blending AI with workouts (e.g., Tonal, Mirror, Amp Fitness) drives the trend.
  • Jen: “A company like Amp Fitness…it's really intuitive… gives you three different levels of resistance training … it’s amazing.” (22:51)
• Hybrid models (mixing home and gym workouts) are rising due to convenience.
  • Jen: “By the time I go to do all … it's like two hours a lot of times. That's why…I work out at home, quite honestly, like 75% of the time.” (26:26)

4. Community vs Convenience: The Social Side of Fitness

• Although home fitness grows, community and gym energy are still irreplaceable.
  • Liron: “The biggest thing that you offer with a physical… location is two related things. One is your energy… The gym owner, what you're bringing almost really physically to people. Two is the community.” (24:23)
  • Both acknowledge some people prefer solo workouts, others thrive socially.

5. Fitness Fads & The Allure of Trends

• Discussion of vibrational plates, electric bodysuits, and the enduring truth that “the basics” work best.
  • Jen: “Nothing is going to take the place of lifting weights as you age. All of these things are fun trends… but like the tried and true, people don't want to hear what actually works because it’s not sexy or fun.” (29:22)
  • Liron: “This is pretty much a perfect symbol of what we're talking about here about trends … I bet there are almost no benefits of a vibrational plate above walking for half an hour.” (27:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Motivation:
  • Jen: “I never do anything based on how I feel in the moment. I do things based on how I feel after the fact.” (12:39)
  • Liron: “Almost every person I know who's fit has an unconscious shift of their attention to how they're going to feel when they leave the gym or finish their workout … Rather than how they’re going to feel going into the gym.” (12:46-13:01)
• On Routine and Autopilot:
  • Jen: “Exercise to me is the number one best form of brain training you can give yourself.” (10:59)
  • Liron: “If you do, you’ll find it actually quite easy to stick to.” (09:18)
• On Trends:
  • Jen: “People don’t want to hear what actually works because it’s not sexy. Like, no one cares if I say to you ‘walk 30, 45 minutes a day and like lift heavy.’ People yawn because it's boring … But sometimes it’s like just do what actually works.” (29:22, 30:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment / Topic | |--------------|----------------------------------------| | 03:24–04:35 | The Resolution Cycle & Drop-Off Rate | | 06:40–08:45 | Defining Interval Walking; Jen’s "Walk Within 2 Miles" Rule | | 09:18–10:59 | Non-Negotiables, Hard Lines, and Habit Stacking | | 12:39–14:48 | Motivation, “I Do It Anyways”, Discipline | | 14:49–18:20 | Recovery Trends: Sleep, Saunas, & Cold Plunges | | 21:48–24:09 | The Surge in Home Gyms and Fitness Tech | | 26:25–28:16 | Convenience, Community, and Tech at Home vs. Gym | | 29:22–32:31 | Fitness Fads, Vibrational Plates, Enduring Power of Basics |

Final Takeaways

• “Trendy” methods and new tech have their place, but nothing beats basic consistency, walking, and weight training.
• Personalization and self-awareness are crucial—don’t copy an influencer if it doesn’t suit you.
• Build “hard lines” and non-negotiables: rules you always follow so you don’t have to decide daily.
• Recovery, especially sleep, is often more important than fancy gadgets or extreme modalities.
• Momentum is built through mastery of one habit at a time—start simple, and grow.

Hosts’ Tone:
Authentic, practical, refreshingly blunt, and solution-focused—dispelling myths with humor and tough love.

Best for:
Anyone feeling stuck in the resolution rut, overwhelmed by trends, or ready to design a sustainable fitness journey that actually fits their life.