With the beginning of a new year on the horizon, people often look for a fresh start on their fitness goals. January is one of my busiest months as a fitness & health leader while people try to break away from their holiday habits.

In the beginning phases of your workout efforts, whether you are following one of my personalized training programs or some other generic plan, you must stay consistent if you want to see a significant difference! The first 4-6 weeks are crucial to your success, this is often when people either start to see real results or drop out.Having said that, here are a few tips I put together to keep you motivated this New Year:

1. Establish your goals: Try to make a realistic commitment such as exercising 3 times a week after work and once on weekends. Creating realistic goals will set you up for success.

2. Figure out a plan: Running into a gym and lifting a bunch of weights is good but to do so in an organized, goal-oriented fashion will ensure maximum results are met.

3. Get into a routine: This is key...Results will only come through consistent behaviour. Plan your day around your workouts as opposed to pushing it to the end of the day when you’re tired.

4. Evaluate your progress: This is my favorite, find a pair of pants that never fits and try them on every other week or so to see how they look. The scale is not always a good measure of your efforts.

6. Keep track of your progress: Keeping a diary of your workouts will not only ensure you give all of your muscle groups an even workout, it will also give you a sense of accomplishment and momentum.

If you can adopt some of these simple concepts into your daily life, you should find yourself in better standing than the beginning of the holiday season!

Your fitness expert, Marc Laverdure B.Sc., C.S.C.S.

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