1. Be Realistic Set goals that are obtainable. If you are 60 pounds overweight and you set a goal to lose the 60 lbs in 2 months, you will become frustrated and give up! Setting a long term goal and then breaking it into smaller milestone goals will help keep you motivated, keep you accountable and focused. If you want to lose 20 pounds of body fat, aim for 1-2 pounds each week. If your goal is to run a 5k race, set a race date, break the training into smaller segmental training sessions and set weekly distances to run. Chose exercises that are appropriate for your current fitness level. If you've never belonged to a gym or did strength training, perhaps a crossfit workout may be a little too aggressive for you. Prevent injuries and frustration by working your way up to more aggressive types of workouts.
2. Be Specific I can't tell you how many people come to me and when asked what they hope to achieve they say, "lose weight." That's like closing your eyes and throwing a dart hoping to hit "a" target. How much weight do you want to lose? By what date? What size pants do you want to fit into? If your goal is to get back into a specific size pants, you have a specific target. You can then use those pants as a measuring tool. Keep the pants in the front of your closet so you are constantly reminded of your goal. Try them on occasionally... If your goal is to become healthy, what specifically do you mean? Do you want to lower your blood pressure? Improve your posture in your back and shoulders? Be specific.
3. Outline Your Plan "Fail to plan... Plan to fail" Determine how you will achieve your specific goal. If you want to lose bodyfat, decide how you will clean up your nutrient intake. Will you join a program like Weight Watchers? Will you join a gym, use exercise videos or workout with family or friends? What days of the week and what time of the day will you workout? By working out at the same specific time and days each week, you train your body and mind to prepare for the workout. It's similar to how your body knows when it's lunch or dinner time. It starts to send signals it's hungry because it's been conditioned to eat at a specific time. Do you prefer classes or exercise videos? A Certified Personal Trainer can help outline a game plan for you. Many gyms offer a free consultation to help you develop a plan and show you how to use the equipment.
4. Make It Public Don't keep it a secret! Tell your family and friends your goal. Many of them may even want to join you and you will have an automatic support system. Accountability is key!
5. Track Your Progress I have always been a fan of the free apps like myfitnesspal or lose it. These programs are great for tracking your nutrient intake and activity. Many of my clients use these programs. I usually recommend doing a fitness assessment when beginning your resolution. This usually includes body weight, body fat percent, circumference measurements, resting blood pressure and heart rate, upper and lower body strength test, upper and lower muscular endurance test, as well as a flexibility test. I then give a printout and also plot the results on a chart that show where you rank nationally according to your age demographic. This is a great tool to set baseline numbers. Follow up measurements can be done at set intervals to track progress and allow for adjustment to your nutrition and exercise program.
6. Educate Yourself Knowledge is power! Research, watch and ask people who have obtained your goal already. Ask a Certified Personal Trainer questions. Many trainers will be pleased to sit and talk with you. You learn by asking questions. Research the Internet and books, learn the ins and outs of achieving your goals.
Finally, try to make it fun! Fitness isn't supposed to be a punishment! If you like music and dancing, try taking Zumba to burn calories, Kickboxing and spin burn a ton of calories in a short period of time while providing a fun workout. Many gyms offer group fitness classes which provide an energetic and fun environment while also allowing for proper instruction and motivation. Hire a Certified Personal Trainer for a few sessions or take advantage of the "free" sessions most gyms offer. This will allow you to receive proper guidance so you aren't wandering around the gym and make your efforts more productive and rewarding.