OK so yesterday I dealt with goal setting as a good method to make new years resolutions instead of just stating out loud that you want to lose weight or want to quit smoking now. Now I wanted to go though a sample plan for how you can best get the process started with a weight loss. This is exactly the way I would plan and write it all out.

Goal: Lose 20 Pounds by April 1st (notice that there is an amount of weight and a date, nice and specific)

Why: I want to fit into old clothes, want to make sure that I am on the road to a healthier lifestyle, want to be more attractive (good reasons although the last one is a little vague)

How will I do this: I will change my diet by taking out refined foods now, eat more fruits and vegetables. I will start doing cardio Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings before work and will do weights on Saturdays and Tuesday evenings to start with. I will read a health book ever two weeks and I will change my evenings to be around more active and health conscious people. (pretty clear although this can always be expanded on, clarity will lead to a higher chance of success)

Measuring my success: I will weigh myself every Saturday morning when I get up and will measure my chest, waist and hips right after. To succeed I will need to lose 7 pounds a month which is just shy of 2 pounds a week. I know that this is a significant amount of weight. (Clarity of the goal and sub goals helps. Must keep top of mind that 2 pounds a week every week is pushing it but possible)

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Thanks for visiting. To get started why not subscribe to the 21 day fitness plan at the top of this page. Look in the red box, it is right there.. Thanks Bill

New Years Resolutions are a great idea that seldom work. The reason that most peoples new years resolutions fail is that people will get a good idea and not flesh it out, decide what to do and how. The best way to be successful is to plan your outcomes and to decide what are the most important things for you. When you do this you have a much better chance at succeeding because when you need to make changes you will do it knowing why you are making a change and exactly what changes need to be made.

Starting to Plan New Years Resolutions

The way I start each year is by looking back, looking at where I am today and finally looking at where I want to be tomorrow and then creating a plan to make a better tomorrow happen.

With traditional goal setting most people just look at what they want and then create a plan to get there. My method of setting real New Years Resolutions is much better as it does not just look at myself as a superman and allow me to collapse as soon as any problem gets in the way of my goal.

Tools for successful New Years Resolutions

To start you must have a notebook and realize that this notebook will be your companion for the next year. Give yourself an hour to get started and know that you will likely be sitting down a few times over the next few days, if New Years Day comes and goes while you are in the midst of this process do not worry. Even though we always look at new years day as the switch that begins a new year remember that you are creating a map and a route that is much more important and long lasting than the flip of a calendar, the end of a day, or a fuzzy idea in the middle of the night whose idea of importance is reflected only by the thoughts and actions of a very few minutes.
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