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Make your fitness resolutions stick

Once again, it is time to tackle New Year resolutions, and many of us are promising that this year, we will get fit! Unfortunately, according to the Canadian Association of Fitness Professionals, studies have shown that 50 per cent of new exercisers will quit their new healthier lifestyle within the first 6 to 8 weeks!

So how do you avoid becoming a statistic? Here are 5 tips that are sure to help keep you on track.

Once again, it is time to tackle New Year resolutions, and many of us are promising that this year, we will get fit! Unfortunately, according to the Canadian Association of Fitness Professionals, studies have shown that 50 per cent of new exercisers will quit their new healthier lifestyle within the first 6 to 8 weeks!

So how do you avoid becoming a statistic? Here are 5 tips that are sure to help keep you on track.

1. Moderation is KEY! I always tell my clients if you want to have some cake, have a slice, just don't have the whole cake! One slice once in a while is not going to break the scale! But if you deny yourself that little pleasure, you may end up binging later! So allow yourself a little taste of the things you love. In moderation!

2. Do it for you and you alone. If you decide to embark on a quest to improve your health and fitness, make sure are doing it for yourself first, not a partner, parent(s) or friend(s). If this is truly something you want and you are ready and willing to commit time, energy and money, there is little that will get in your way of seeing some great results.

3. Don't be a slave to the scale! Let me elaborate on that a little. Weigh yourself once when you first start an exercise program, and then every 4-6 weeks thereafter (no sooner) so you can asses your positive progress. Weighing yourself any sooner can not only be discouraging (because it is too soon to see real fat loss) but also deceiving, as muscle weighs more than fat, and you may think that you are putting on weight, but in fact, you are putting on muscle weight, which you need to burn fat.

4. Just do it! Exercise is really not complicated. Any time you elevate your heart rate, warm up you muscles and increase your breathing rate, you are exercising. For some that may mean a fast walk, going for regular hikes or riding their bike to work, while for others it may mean going to the gym, doing a boxing class or lifting some weights under the direction of a personal trainer. Whichever way you want to do it is fine. Just remember not to think about it too much, and to just do it! You will feel so much better about yourself afterwards!

5. Don't be afraid to ask for help! Regardless of fitness levels, beginners, avid exercisers, or body builders, everyone can gain and benefit from the help of a personal trainer. Whether you want to learn a new routine, take your current one to the next level or you have reached a plateau and can't get past it, the best investment you can make for your yourself is to work with someone who is an expert in that field and who will personalize a routine to meet all of your needs and fitness goals.

About the Author: Nadia Behnan is a Certified Personal Trainer and Golf Conditioning Specialist. She has been actively working in the fitness industry in Toronto since 1999, where she recently opened her own Fitness and Wellness Studio called The Workout Loft. She continues to work with individuals seeking to improve their health and fitness, as well as amateur and professional athletes. Her studio also employs Yoga and Pilates instructors a Registered Massage Therapist and a Registered Nutritionist. Visit Her site at www.theworkoutloft.com Copyright 2007 “The Workout Loft” If you wish to use this article please contact the author.