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Fitness for Every Body

Winter Arc 2025: Be Someone New by New Year's Day

October is the new January. While everyone else waits for New Year's resolutions they'll quit by February, you'll already be 92 days into your transformation. Here's exactly how to do it.

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What Is The Winter Arc?

The Winter Arc is a 92-day self-improvement challenge running from October 1st to December 31st. Born on TikTok and now a global movement, it's about using the final quarter of the year to transform yourself while everyone else is sliding into holiday mode.

Why October 1st?

Think about it: Most people coast through fall, indulge through the holidays, then panic in January with resolutions they abandon by Valentine's Day. The Winter Arc flips this script entirely.

Starting October 1st means:

  • You have 92 days to build unbreakable habits (science says you need 66)
  • You enter the holidays with discipline already established
  • You start January as a completely different person
  • You avoid the New Year's gym crowds and resolution failures

It's Not Another 75 Hard

Unlike rigid challenges like 75 Hard, the Winter Arc is customizable to your life. No mandatory cold showers. No specific diet requirements. No starting over if you miss a day. It's about consistency, not perfection.

The Winter Arc is whatever YOU need it to be. Some people focus purely on fitness. Others add business goals, learning skills, or creative projects. The only rule is that you commit to becoming better, consistently, for 92 days.

The Official Winter Arc 2025 Rules

While the Winter Arc is flexible, having structure is what separates it from just "trying to be better." Here are the core rules that thousands are following:

1. Duration: October 1 - December 31 (92 Days)

No starting late, no ending early. The power is in the full commitment. Miss October 1st? You're not doing the Winter Arc - you're doing something else. The shared timeline creates community and accountability.

2. Choose Your Non-Negotiables (1-5 Daily Habits)

Pick 1-5 daily habits that you'll do NO MATTER WHAT. These become your non-negotiables. Common choices:

  • Physical: Daily workout, 10k steps, morning run
  • Mental: Meditation, journaling, reading 10 pages
  • Nutritional: No alcohol, gallon of water, protein goals
  • Growth: Study 30 minutes, practice a skill, create something
  • Recovery: 8 hours sleep, stretching, no phone after 9pm

Start with fewer habits and nail them rather than failing at many.

3. Track Everything

What gets measured gets managed. Use Motion to track your daily habits, take progress photos, log your workouts, journal your thoughts. The data keeps you honest and shows progress when motivation dips.

4. Weekly Evolution

Every Sunday, assess and adjust:

  • What worked this week?
  • What didn't?
  • Are your habits too easy? Add difficulty.
  • Are you failing consistently? Scale back slightly.
  • What will you do better next week?

The goal is sustainable progression, not unsustainable perfection.

5. Share Your Journey

Post your Day 1. Share your struggles on Day 23. Celebrate your wins on Day 50. The Winter Arc is powerful because millions are doing it together. Use #WinterArc2025 and find your tribe.

Motion's community of 50,000+ members makes this easy - join accountability pods, share daily check-ins, celebrate wins together.

Why The Winter Arc Actually Works

The 66-Day Habit Science

Research from University College London found it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit. The Winter Arc gives you 92 days - enough time to not just form habits, but make them unbreakable.

By December 31st, your new behaviors aren't things you're trying to do - they're just who you are.

Perfect Timing Psychology

October through December is when most people check out:

  • "I'll start after Halloween"
  • "Thanksgiving ruins everything anyway"
  • "Might as well wait for New Year's"

While they're making excuses, you're building momentum. You're zigging while everyone zags. This contrarian approach creates a powerful psychological edge.

Environmental Advantages

Fall and early winter actually support habit formation:

  • Cooler weather makes exercise more comfortable
  • Earlier darkness encourages earlier sleep
  • Less social obligations than summer
  • Holiday temptations become tests of discipline, not automatic failures
  • Cozy season makes reading and skill-building more appealing

The Compound Effect

92 days of 1% improvement = 250% better

Small, consistent actions compound dramatically over three months. That daily 20-minute workout becomes 30 hours of exercise. Ten pages of reading becomes 920 pages - that's 3-4 full books. Thirty minutes of skill practice becomes 46 hours of expertise.

By January 1st, while everyone else is starting from zero, you're already transformed.

How to Start Your Winter Arc with Motion

Step 1: Download Motion (It's Free)

Motion is specifically designed for sustainable habit building - exactly what the Winter Arc requires. Weekly goals (not daily pressure), effort-based tracking (progress over perfection), and a supportive community of 50,000+ members doing the Winter Arc together.

Step 2: Set Your Winter Arc Goals

Motion will help you choose sustainable daily habits based on your current fitness level and lifestyle. Start conservative - you can always add more. The app tracks everything automatically through your phone or fitness tracker.

Step 3: Join a Winter Arc Pod

In Motion's Discord community, join a Winter Arc accountability pod. These small teams (5-10 people) check in daily, share struggles, celebrate wins, and keep each other going when motivation dips.

Step 4: Make It Public

Share your Winter Arc commitment publicly. Post your Day 1 photo. Tell your friends and family. Public accountability dramatically increases success rates. Motion makes this easy with shareable goal cards and progress updates.

Step 5: Focus on Day 1, Then Day 2

Don't think about all 92 days. Think about today. Then tomorrow. Then the next day. Motion's weekly goals mean you can have bad days without breaking everything. Just keep showing up.

Most Popular Winter Arc Habits

Based on thousands of participants, here are the most common Winter Arc commitments:

Physical (Pick 1-2)

  • 10,000 steps daily
  • 30-minute workout (any type)
  • Morning run/walk before work
  • Gym 5x per week
  • Daily yoga or stretching
  • 100 push-ups (throughout the day)

Nutrition (Pick 1-2)

  • No alcohol for 92 days
  • Gallon of water daily
  • No processed sugar
  • Intermittent fasting (16:8 or similar)
  • Hit protein goals daily
  • Meal prep every Sunday

Mental (Pick 1-2)

  • 10 minutes meditation
  • Morning journaling
  • Read 10 pages daily
  • Practice gratitude (write 3 things)
  • No social media before noon
  • Learn something new for 30 minutes

Recovery (Pick 1)

  • 8 hours sleep non-negotiable
  • No screens after 9pm
  • Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking
  • Cold shower to start or end day
  • 10-minute stretching before bed

Growth (Optional Add-On)

  • Side project progress daily
  • Post content daily
  • Practice instrument/language
  • Write 500 words
  • Code for 1 hour

Remember: Start with 2-3 total habits maximum. You can add more after two weeks if you're crushing it.

Frequently asked questions

If you have anything else you want to ask, reach out to us.

    • What if I'm starting after October 1st?

      The official Winter Arc runs October 1 - December 31, and starting on time with everyone else creates powerful community momentum. If you're reading this after October 1st, you have two options: Jump in now and do what you can (better than nothing), or plan for next year and use the time to prepare. But honestly? The magic is in the full 92 days with millions of others.

    • How many habits should I actually commit to?

      Start with 2-3 maximum. The most common failure is overcommitment. Pick one physical habit (like daily exercise), one nutrition habit (like no alcohol), and maybe one mental habit (like reading). Nail these for two weeks, then add more if you want. It's better to do 3 things perfectly for 92 days than 10 things poorly for a week.

    • What happens if I miss a day?

      Unlike 75 Hard where you start over, Winter Arc is about consistency over perfection. If you miss a day, acknowledge it, learn from it, and get back on track immediately. Motion's weekly goals mean one bad day doesn't ruin everything. However, missing multiple days defeats the purpose - this is about building unbreakable habits, which requires showing up even when you don't want to.

    • Is Winter Arc just for fitness?

      No! While fitness is popular, Winter Arc is about total life improvement. Many people focus on business goals, creative projects, learning skills, or mental health. Someone might do Winter Arc with daily coding practice, another with daily writing, another with building their business. The core principle is consistent daily action toward becoming who you want to be.

    • Why is October-December better than January for starting?

      Three reasons: First, you need 66+ days to form habits, and Winter Arc gives you 92. By January, your habits are automatic. Second, you avoid the New Year's resolution crowd and failure mindset - gyms are empty in October but packed in January. Third, the psychological edge of improving while others are coasting is incredibly powerful. You're separating yourself from the masses.

    • How is Winter Arc different from 75 Hard or other challenges?

      Winter Arc is flexible and sustainable. No mandatory cold showers, specific diets, or starting over if you miss a day. It's customized to YOUR goals and life. 75 Hard is about mental toughness through rigid rules. Winter Arc is about transformation through consistent, sustainable habits. Both have value, but Winter Arc is designed for real life and long-term change, not just proving you can follow extreme rules for 75 days.

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