1. Have a clear and defined goal with a training plan
This is the most important step for you to follow in order to achieve amazing results. It is hard to believe that more than 90% of people when starting a new exercise program do not have a well defined goal they wish to obtain by the end.

When defining your goal you should make it very specific. Wanting to lose weight is not a specific and well defined goal. Losing 8-kilos is specific. The goal should then be broken down in to minor or sub-goals to make obtaining your large goal more simplistic and believable.

One of the most important considerations when defining your goal is to work out your “why”. You may wish to lose weight so you feel comfortable in your bathers; you want to be able to run around with your kids; or maybe you want to lose weight to prevent disease in the future; whatever your “why” is, it must be big and it must be important to you 

2. Be accountable to someone
Being accountable to someone is a major way to keep you on track towards your goal. Accountability is one of the greatest reasons many people seek the assistance of personal trainers. By being accountable to someone you won’t press the snooze button on your alarm in the morning or skip an exercise session.

3. Seek professional assistance
Have you ever thought you were doing an exercise correctly and then were shown differently? Or maybe you thought you were training hard but then had a trainer push you to a new level?

Seeking professional assistance is so important when you are starting a new exercise program. A good fitness and healthcare professional should help you define your goal and organise a training plan that will detail how you are going to get there.

Other benefits from seeking professional assistance is education on nutrition and other health & fitness issues, injury prevention, correct program prescription to fast-track your results, motivation and accountability.

4. Become educated on health & fitness issues
One of the greatest stumbling blocks for most people when chasing their health & fitness goals is a lack of education on issues that will assist them achieving the results they truly desire.

The area that most people have the greatest lack of education is nutrition. Through no fault of their own they have been conditioned by marketing advertisements that promote bad nutrition as being healthy.

Other areas that people need to be made aware of are programs and methods that will optimise their training, training exercises, goal-setting and personal development. It is YOUR responsibility to look after your own health and become educated.

5. Diarise your training like appointments
You write down social engagements and work meetings in your diary so why wouldn’t you write down your weekly training sessions? People that achieve their health & fitness goals always plan one month ahead. prior to the coming month starting they write down all their scheduled training sessions.

By writing your weekly exercise in your diary it is cementing your attendance like an appointment. You will notice when given an alternative your training will be given priority because it is already in your diary.

6. Identify your bad nutrition habits and plan to change them
Because diets are normally very restrictive and can not be maintained long-term, looking at your personal nutritional habits that are corrupting your progress towards the goals you desire is a far better way for achieving optimal nutrition and consistent body weight.

Some of your bad nutritional habits may be always eating till you are full; maybe you eat with the kids and then again with your partner; or you may even skip meals because you are too busy at work. Whatever your bad habits me be you must identify them and work out an action plan to change them over time in to healthy eating habits.

Changing habits rather than being on a restrictive diet will give you flexibility and long-term weight management.

7. Plan your meals and diet prior to the week starting
Because nutrition is a major component to achieving the body you desire it is most important to plan your meals and snacks for the upcoming week. By doing so you will stop yourself snacking on bad foods because there was nothing else available or you needed that ‘sugar fix’.

Food preparation can also be useful to compliment your training with the right type of meal before or after your training sessions.

By planning your weekly nutrition you should have available snacks at both home and work; healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and by involving the kids in meal planning you are also teaching them healthy eating habits and more about better food choices.

8. Reward yourself for sticking to your plan.
Remember exercise is meant to be fun. Rewarding yourself for achieving a certain goal, even if it seems small, is a great way to enjoy your exercise and keep your motivation high.

Whether it be allowing yourself a treat at the end of the week like some chocolate or a massage at the end of the month, make sure you reward yourself when you are sticking to your plan.

Marc Stafford