Chad Smith: Skip the resolution. Make a plan.

Fitness Answer Man

December 27, 2009|By CHAD SMITH / Special to The Herald-Mail

It's almost New Year's Eve, and time for the world to make this year's resolutions to stop doing what we shouldn't be doing, or do more of what we should be doing.

Many of these resolutions go unfulfilled, or not attempted at all. One of the reasons for this is because simply saying it's going to happen is only part of the process of making it happen.

Creating a goal is great, but to actually get there, you need to create a plan. The space between thought and fruition is action. If you really want to make 2010 the year you get into your best condition, you're going to have to skip the resolution, and make a plan.

Here's how you're going to do it.

Get SMART

Remember the SMART goal system? When setting a goal, think about this. Is it Specific? Is it Measurable? Is it Attainable? Is it Realistic? Is it Timely? Answer these questions and you'll have a refined goal that you can get started on immediately. This simple system is very powerful, and if used regularly, will produce results over and over again.

Enlist help

If you've never exercised a day in your life, or if you are just in a rut, get together with a qualified trainer who has experience with people who have similar goals. This expert can help you develop a long-term plan for success. Your first three weeks are critical for forming a new habit, so this is the time when seeing a trainer more frequently can give your plan a turbo boost.

Advance the ball

Execute your plan daily without fail. At the end of every week, review what you did well, and what you could have done better, then make the necessary adjustments for the following week. If something is working, keep doing it, if something isn't working, fix it or drop it completely.

Reward success

Break your goal down into bite-size milestones, and reward yourself for each one reached. If your ultimate goal is to lose 40 pounds next year, reward yourself for losing every 10. If your goal is to exercise six days a week, reward yourself for getting in three. Small successes build momentum, and the more momentum you build, the more motivated you'll be as you work toward your goal.

So in 2010, ditch the resolution, and get yourself a plan. Make 2010 the year you get into the shape you've always wanted to be in.

No excuses this year. Stop procrastinating. I've given you 52 columns this year, some of them had to have taught you something, so go execute.

Best of luck in the new year, and thank you for belong a loyal reader. I'll do my best to continue to improve my work on this column and bring you more of the "fitness truth" in 2010.

Have fun, and be safe.

Chad Smith is co-owner of Home Team Fitness. Visit his Web site www.hometeamfitness.net

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