As a health coach, I see a lot of people who want to get in shape for the new year. It’s natural. It’s a new year filled with new promises and new possibilities. It seems like nothing is impossible.

There is a lot of truth in that last statement–nothing seems impossible! But wait. Haven’t you been here before? Haven’t we all? I remember telling myself every January 1st. that this year would be the year I finally got in shape. But by the following December, I found myself in the same if not worse shape than when I started. So what’s gone wrong and how can we fix it?

The truth is that it is not just one thing but a bunch of small things that that add up to failure. However, if there is one encapsulating issue that if addressed would solve most problems, it would be this: No plan!

No Plan 

Instead of having a plan people say things like, “I’m just going to try harder,” or “I’m going to be more healthy,” and “I just need to lose a few pounds.”

The problem with this is that it is too vague. In what ways are you going to try harder? What does “more healthy” mean? And how much weight do you actually need to lose? The truth is without a specific plan you are more than likely going to find yourself in the same place by next year.

The plan you choose should be specific and should cover an eating protocol, a workout protocol, and psychological conditioning. You want to keep as motivated as possible on all levels of fitness. This includes what you eat, how you move your body, and your state of mind.

Realistic

Your plan should be realistic. It should include a time when you can eat your favorite foods, and a time off of exercising for rest.

It should also include more than one way to track your weight-loss progress. For example, the scale is a great way to see how much you have lost but this should not be your only means of measuring your success. Another way is by having a goal shirt or dress that you want to fit into. Often you may not be making progress on the scale but you may be fitting better into your clothes.

Finally, let me extent an invitation to you from Advanced Weight-Loss Resources. If you are looking for lasting success in the area of health and fitness, please contact us and let’s get you to your goal weight this year!