Image via Bethesda, Nintendo, & Bonus Action
With the new year approaching, many of us are thinking about our goals for the year ahead. Whether or not you set traditional New Year’s Resolutions, the fresh January calendar is an invitation to check in. What do you want to accomplish in the next year? What needs to change from the previous year? And for many of us, staying active is a perpetual goal that can be tricky to keep up with.
Personally, I’ve been chasing some cardio fitness goals this year for health reasons. And as has always been the case for me, my ability to stay consistent has had mixed results. But in the last few months, I feel like I’ve finally landed on a labyrinthine structure of motivation and little treats that is keeping me consistent with my workouts. If you, too, have fitness goals to chase in the new year, I thought I’d share some ways that being a nerd is actually helping me get fit. And yes, video games and Dungeons & Dragons are involved.
Fandom Running Club
This one is a longstanding part of my life, but it remains an important way to stay motivated. Fanthropy Running Club (FRC) is a free online community of nerds trying to stay active, and I’ve been a member since 2018. Along with general good community and connections, they run several virtual race events throughout the year. There’s nothing that gets me motivated to hit my step goals like knowing we only need X intentional miles to pass another team.
Even if you don’t want to join FRC specifically, finding a community of like-minded people with similar goals can be really helpful. And bonus points if that community also understands your D&D references. Having other people to check in with can help keep you accountable to someone other than yourself, which can be incredibly motivating for some of us.
Fitness Boxing 3
Earlier this year, I bought Fitness Boxing 3 for my Switch. And it has genuinely been a game-changer for my cardio game. I used to be a consistent runner, but found I was constantly getting injured. So, I wanted a lower-impact workout that still got my heart rate up. I’ve never quite gotten over the transition away from the Dance, Dance Revolution game mat, and this seemed like the next best thing.
Fitness Boxing 3 has a truly impressive amount of content. I’ve been playing 2-3 times a week consistently since March, and I am still unlocking new workout combos and moves. You also punch to mark a daily stamp for each workout, which my reward-seeking brain loves. This game absolutely exceeded my expectations and has genuinely helped me improve my fitness this year. Who says video games can’t help you get stronger?
Fitness Adventure
Say hello to the newest, D&D-inspired addition to my complicated web of fitness motivation tools: Fitness Adventure. I came across the beta version of this simple tabletop RPG fitness game while scrolling through Instagram, and I am obsessed. The full version is coming out in January 2026, but the beta has already helped me find a reason to work out when I don’t feel like it. The Chimera won’t slay itself, after all.
It works like this. Every time you work out, you get to move your piece along the game board. Then, you roll a D20 to attack the monster. Some tiles ask you to draw a scroll card, and others instruct you to reward yourself (I have a few packs of unopened Pokémon cards for just this purpose). It’s simple, but getting to move my piece and roll an attack is another incentive to stick to the workout routine I already have. I can’t wait to see the full version when it comes out in January, because TTRPG + fitness goals is just a genius combination.
Looking for more fitness games to try? Check out our review of Fitness Boxing Feat. Hatsune Miku.
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