"Fitness Planning for the New Year"
- appeared in the January print edition of the Northern AZ Homesteader

Nutrition. Exercise. Lean Muscle. Strength... N.E.LM.S. Fitness

Welcome to 2007! Like most people, you probably have many things to be thankful for from 2006, but there are still things that you would like to improve or change in 2007. Health and physical appearance always rank high on people’s priority lists during this time of year, since statistics (and mirrors) clearly show that most people have gained a little weight, whether it was over the course of the last year or just during the holiday season. Now that the New Year is among us, the calorie-laden parties, special occasions and family functions are over. It’s time to make a change, develop new habits, and get results. No more excuses are allowed.

The question is: How do we become part of the rare, successful group that actually beats the odds? How do we avoid the 80-95% failure rate that plagues dieters? Are there are any proven methods of successful fat loss?

The good news is that the answer to the last question is a resounding “yes”! Once you have tapped into the basic principles that form the foundation of successful, result-producing, fat-liberating, metabolic-enhancing programs, losing fat becomes something that you can do at will.

Once you have the basics, lower numbers on the scale, smaller clothing sizes, and the future potential of a miniature “you” smiling back in the mirror all become reality. For women, aspirations and visions of a leisurely walk along the beach or afternoon of relaxation at the pool, as the sun shimmers off their newly-purchased swimsuit and tanned, trimmed waistline, become something that simply takes a little time and effort. For men, the consideration that they will finally achieve or reclaim a chiseled set of six-pack abdominals and biceps that turn the heads of a few admirers is no longer just a dream to chase after. Finally, for many seniors, the desire to regain the health, vigor, and physical appearance of 10 or 20 years ago morphs into just another item that can be checked off during their wonderful journey through life.

Over time, I will elaborate on the concepts that make fat loss a simple matter. Fat loss is not mystical. Fat loss does, however, take preparation, and one of the best ways to prepare is to go through the same process that successful, multi-billion dollar corporations around the world go through each and every year. These successful businesses have learned that success requires vision, goals, and plans to achieve them. Without vision, there is no direction, which is why CEOs are paid millions of dollars to make sure the direction is crystal clear.

Why in the world wouldn’t you take advantage of historically proven methods for success, used year after year by company after company? YOU need a vision. YOU need to set goals. YOU need to create plans for their achievement.

Let’s get started.

The first step in successfully achieving fat loss is to have a vision of what you want to be. Decide what you want. In addition to deciding what you want, take some time to answer why you want it. You should have very clear, strong reasons why you want to achieve your vision. How will it make you feel? How will it change your life? Why is it important to you? You must know the answer to these questions for your vision to be strong enough.

It is also important to realize that the vision must stretch your comfort level, but it can’t be something that will physiologically never happen. Here is an example: for 95+% of women, a vision of looking and weighing the same as her Freshman high school photograph is not physically possible. Realistically, most women aren’t even fully developed at that age, yet so many are chasing after that goal. Dream big when you are developing your vision, but make sure the dream is not a fantasy.

Once you have developed your vision, it is time to put your goals in writing. It is important that your goals are SMART, which is a nice acronym for:

Here is an example of a SMART weight loss goal:

“I will lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week from January 1st to April 1st by eating properly and exercising a minimum of 4 times per week for at least 45 minutes at each session, so that I can fit into my old clothes and feel stronger doing my everyday activities.”

Now that you have written a SMART goal, here are just a few more steps that almost guarantee you will achieve it.

Next month, NELMS Fitness will look at some of the elements that create the foundation of successful weight loss. Enjoy the January edition of the Homesteader, and take action towards creating and writing down your personal goals today!

Jeremy Nelms is the assistant manager at Prescott Racquet Club and co-owner of Prescott’s Adventure Boot Camp for Women. He can be reached at www.PrescottBootCamp.com or www.NelmsFitness.com. Each week, this e-zine will bring you the concepts and methods and tips that have been proven to create lifelong, effective results for individuals – just like you – who started off with a strong desire to change his or her appearance, health, and future.