Data Driven Resolutions: Pro Tips for Building a Healthier New Year

Caroline Kavanagh | January 7, 2026

The start of a new year often brings a surge of motivation and a desire for change. Gym memberships spike, new diets are adopted and supplement shelves are cleared—all with the intention of building better health. Yet, lasting results rarely come from enthusiasm alone. They require a more strategic, informed approach—one rooted in objective data and individualized planning.

Pro Tip 1: Establish a Comprehensive Baseline Early

Health is much easier to maintain than it is to restore. That’s why establishing a comprehensive health baseline while you’re young—ideally in your 20s—is invaluable. Most people wait until symptoms appear before investigating what’s happening inside their bodies, but by then, early warning signs are often missed. A thorough blood panel, conducted when you feel your best, provides a reference point you can return to throughout your life. This baseline allows for early detection of subtle physiological shifts, making interventions more timely and effective.

Pro Tip 2: Leverage Your Annual Physical—But Expand the Scope

Your annual physical with your primary care provider is a key opportunity to monitor your health but standard laboratory panels often provide only a limited snapshot. Most primary care physicians appreciate proactive patients and will welcome your initiative—especially if you share your own comprehensive bloodwork results. Bring a copy of your previous panel to your appointment and ask your provider to match the same biomarkers in their testing.

Request advanced lipid markers (such as ApoB and Lp(a)), inflammation indicators (hs-CRP, homocysteine), thyroid hormones, vitamin D, B12, folate, ferritin and iron saturation. For those with specific performance or health goals, panels assessing testosterone, estradiol, SHBG, and cortisol provide further insight. By aligning your personal testing with your PCP’s annual panel, you create two meaningful data points per year—allowing for more accurate trend analysis and proactive management.

Pro Tip 3: Translate Data Into Actionable Strategies

Collecting data is only the first step; its value lies in the actions it informs. Platforms like InsideTracker are particularly useful here, as they don’t just present you with numbers—they interpret your bloodwork and recommend foods that align with your specific biomarker results. This means you get practical, evidence-based suggestions for what to eat to help move your numbers in the direction you want to improve, whether that’s better recovery, energy, or long-term health. Instead of relying on generic advice or popular trends, you receive guidance that is uniquely tailored to your physiology and goals, enabling more targeted and efficient progress.

Pro Tip 4: Precision Matters—Tailor Your Nutrition to Your Physiology and Goals

No two athletes are identical—unique genetics, training histories and ambitions mean that standardized plans rarely deliver optimal results. My practice centers on helping you define your specific priorities, whether that’s improving body composition, optimizing daily nutrition or developing evidence-based fueling strategies for competition.

Metabolic testing is a cornerstone of this individualized process. By objectively measuring how your body utilizes energy, we move beyond guesswork and trends. This data allows for targeted recommendations that align with your physiology and your goals, ensuring every adjustment is evidence-based and relevant to you. Progress becomes measurable, actionable, and uniquely yours—so every decision is a step toward your definition of success.

Sustained change is not about intensity or willpower; it’s about clarity, accuracy and consistency. Begin your year with objective data, a comprehensive plan, and the confidence that comes from knowing your approach is both personalized and scientifically sound. When you shift from guessing to knowing, you create a foundation for health and performance that lasts well beyond January.