As all of you know. . . and just maybe have experienced yourself, vast numbers of people start out the new year with grandiose ideas of discovering fitness and a healthy lifestyle. And as you also know, a very small percentage of people actually follow through on their intention and typically feel worse about themselves than they did before they made the attempt. I have a few ideas as to why this is the case and some easy yet effective ways to increase the chance of wellness success.

Your Fitness Fingerprint: I tell people that their relationship to fitness is like their fingerprint (or a snowflake), no one has the exact same program, abilities, time, needs, and motivation. Recognizing that you can do more or less than others and being okay with that is a huge step in your success. For example, can I jump up more than about six inches at the moment? Embarrassingly, no (although my clients get a good laugh out of it when I show them), but I am proud of myself that I can run eight miles without much struggle. After all, I don't really deserve to jump high since I rarely train to do so, so should I just expect to do just as good as someone who regularly does plyometrics (explosive training)? Of course not. I get what I train for. There is no one way to get fit; look at how many types of physical activities, trainers and programs there are out there! So, analyze yourself as to where you are right now in your fitness and then ask yourself what is important to you. For example, is it to complete a 5k or to be able to do pull-ups, or just to have more energy? Once you prioritize, you can begin to customize your fitness plan towards what you are looking for.

Be a Smart Goalie: People tend to be their own worst enemy when it comes to setting goals. They often set the bar so high, that when they do not follow through on their lofty aims, they desert the effort altogether. I have seen this many times, and it is unfortunate. No one is motivated every day to exercise at their highest ability. . . not I, not Lance Armstrong, not Michael Phelps, not anyone. So, when you are presented with a day that you are not motivated to workout, either opt for a lighter intensity (and once you get warmed up, you will probably be into it), or do not exercise. The last thing you want to do is force yourself to workout when you truly do not want to. If you do, you will begin to resent exercise and you know where that will lead. Keep in mind there is a difference between the feeling of force and just being a little unmotivated. If you must skip the workout, make it up on another day so you still get in your weekly activity. A client of mine had a good trick. She said that she "plans" an activity that she hopes to do everyday of the week and if something gets in the way a day or two she knows that she will still get in at least 4 days a week. Good idea!

Another reason that people do not stick to their goals is that they do not even know what their goals are or should be. Wanting to lose 20 pounds is one thing. . . but what is 100% more important than that statement is the behaviors one should take to actually achieve the result. As a society so accustomed to get what they want ASAP, we cannot use that same approach with weight loss and fitness. They require time, patience and habit forming. Which is a good thing, since an attempt to rush into a higher level than you should will likely leave you burned out or, even worse, injured. This is a situation when you should not be afraid to ask for help. Qualified fitness professionals can help you to set and attain realistic and healthy goals. USE them. Do you cut your own hair? Do you give yourself a dental exam? I hope not; so look at your "fitness hygiene" in the same way. They probably know more than you do, so let them help you. This certainly does not mean you have to pay a personal trainer every time you work out. Having a trainer set up a program for you is usually quite affordable, and is a good investment. Let them design your fingerprint!

Assess and Modify: If you feel that you may have overshot your goal(s), do not be ashamed to modify your program in order to eventually reach success. Say you have a bum knee or a pulled muscle, or got a bad cold during your program. Or maybe you realize that you set too high of a goal initially. Allow yourself a little extra time. If you know me, you know that I am not the most patient person in the world, so I also struggle with this point, but I still believe its value. As they say Rome wasn't built in a day!

Good luck if you are hoping to find or are on the search for your fitness fingerprint. And if you have found it, congratulations and keep up the good work!