Happy New Year! For those of us who traditionally celebrate the changing of the calendar year with a hangover and a day in bed swearing to ourselves that we will never drink that much again, the dawning of a new year is a good time to draw up some New Year’s resolutions.

After dealing with the immediate challenges, like curing the lingering hangover and finally throwing out that rotting turkey carcass, many of us will sit over our palm pilot or day planner mulling over our resolutions for the year ahead. This is the time of the year when gym memberships go up and cigarette sales go down. The top two resolutions have recently been to get in better shape and to quit smoking.

Unfortunately, despite our best intentions, around 70 percent of us will not make it through February with our resolutions intact. In general, most of us lack the willpower and end up making excuses as a means of dealing with our lack of self control. Don’t kid yourself into believing that it is going to be easy, because it usually is not. Being mentally tough and disciplined is not something we are born with, unfortunately. Having a plan of attack is essential for resolution success.

There are five components that lay the foundation for your success: nutrition, aerobics, weight training, supplements and knowledge.

Nutrition is more than half the battle. You could exercise three to four hours a day, but if you are not eating right, you will make little to no progress.

If you are exercising, you must take in sufficient protein. I recommend 1.0 to 2.0 grams for every pound of bodyweight depending on your blood-type, body-type and fitness goal. Protein is essential to the structure, function and regulation of your body and its processes. It provides the building blocks for hormone, enzyme and antibody production. Those who lift weights or do aerobic exercise need protein to help build muscle and recuperate.

Many people are reducing the carbohydrates in their diet, which for a weight loss program works well. However, a lot of the vitamins and minerals we need come from high-carb foods, therefore, people cannot survive on protein and fat alone. I strongly suggest learning the glycemic index (see index on page 41), which carbs are considered low-glycemic and incorporating these foods into your nutrition plan.

Restock the refrigerator and pantry to emphasize low-glycemic foods. Ditch the refined breads and breakfast cereals, baked and mashed spuds, white rice and rice cakes, toaster waffles, tator tots and french fries. Consumption of high-glycemic foods spike insulin and reduce glucagons, thus preventing the burning of body fat. Try to stay away from high-glycemic foods and stick to lower glycemic choices that will produce less insulin. Insulin stimulates your 30 billion fat cell receptors and deposits carbohydrate energy directly into their interiors, making you gain fat. There is no other way to store fat. Every time you eat a meal, your blood sugar rises. Your goal is to consume the foods (low-glycemic) which will cause the least amount of insulin production. Any high-glycemic foods should only be consumed in minimum quantities and combined with dietary proteins and fats in a meal. The only exception is a high-glycemic drink after exercise. But remember, even too much of the low-glycemic foods can make you fat. Eating smaller portions is another key to increasing your metabolism, reducing body fat and maintaining an anabolic environment for muscle to grow.

Aerobics are a great way to improve cardiovascular health, increase metabolism and decrease body fat. Doing aerobic exercise will increase your heart rate and metabolism for three to four hours after your cardio session. For best results, I suggest 35 to 55 minutes on either the treadmill or my favorites: the Stairmaster and the Stepmill.

Many people are using the elipticals which in comparison are not very effective at burning calories, but if you have ankle, knee or hip issues, and are unable to participate in high-impact aerobic exercise, this is one safe alternative.

Doing interval or random-type programs are the best ways to burn calories and reduce body fat because they cause a physiological adaptative response. This means you will excrete more anabolic and fat-burning hormones from the varying intensity levels. Doing low-impact aerobic exercise six to seven days a week to obtain accelerated results is OK, however, be careful not to under-nourish yourself or become burnt out on exercising this frequently.

Many people, to make up for lost time, will kick it into fifth gear when they should start out in first or second and gradually progress. Remember: Rome was not built in a day.

The best way to increase metabolism is to increase your lean body mass by doing resistance training. It is the most effective way to achieve results for long-term health and fitness. Remember for every pound of muscle that is gained, you will increase your metabolism and burn an additional 30 to 90 calories a day. Muscle does not have anywhere near the volume as fat does, so putting on a little lean body mass does not make you look big and bulky. Say you put on 10 pounds of muscle. For every pound of muscle you burn around 50 calories: that equates to 500 more calories a day, which over seven days is one pound of fat (3500 calories). I have found that safe and effective weight loss is accomplished at the rate of 1 to 3 pounds a week, and increasing your lean body mass is just one way to be more healthy.

I will be honest with you. I have never been a big fan of supplement. However, there are several out there that are very effective. If you are on a reduced-calorie diet, I strongly suggest taking a good multivitamin, preferably from a raw food source instead of synthetically manufactured. Your body will be able to absorb the natural multivitamin much better.

Whey protein powder is another great supplement for adding protein to the diet without the saturated fat. I prefer the “Dorian Yates approved” protein powders and meal replacement formulas because they are great quality proteins that taste excellent and do not greatly increase gas. I also add a teaspoon or two of Udo’s flaxseed oil to increase essential fatty acids and reduce cholesterol. It also adds an enjoyable nutty flavor to your shake. No matter what your age is, I also suggest taking glucosamine and chondroitin which help to maintain strong and healthy joints for resistance training.

Knowledge is the key to success in any endeavor, especially health and fitness. The more you know, the easier it is to attain the results you desire and to stay motivated. With one component and not the others, you will probably achieve little success. But if you combine good nutrition, aerobics, resistance training, the right supplements and the right knowledge, your results are guaranteed and you will reach your goals a lot faster. You will also be more goal-oriented, which will help make your resolution stick throughout the year and years to come.

If your goal is to lean out and get rid of body fat, follow these tips:

• Watch the movie Super Size Me. If that does not motivate you to give up fast food, then you are an idiot and should consider your resolution hopeless.

• Focus on the exercises that are more effective for burning calories and causing a physiological adaptative response. These are exercises in which more than one muscle is being worked, also known as compound movements or multiple-joint exercises.

Examples are in the workout routine that follows.

• Make the most of the time that you spend in the gym exercising. You should be doing something in between the time you lift weights. Stretching, which increases flexibility and will decrease your chances for injury, is good to do in between sets. If you lead a busy lifestyle, learn how to maximize your efforts. If you spend more time socializing than exercising at the health club, maybe it is time for a change of exercise venue.

• Be proactive in learning about nutrition – it is more than half the battle. Learn about the glycemic index and know it like the palm of your hand. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, not to mention high in vitamins and minerals, and are crucial for any type of diet.

• Increase your intake of lean sources of protein, especially fish and chicken. I highly suggest salmon and tuna for their omega-3 essential fatty acids.

• The most important tip I can give you is to believe in yourself and to visualize your success. It is imperative that you set short and long-term goals always. Also, find other ways of rewarding yourself that are healthy.

Start with three sets of each exercise with two to three minute rest intervals and add one set every two weeks. Work in the prescribed repetition range. If the weight is too light, then kick it up a notch. Remember gradual progression is best and the most effective way to maintaining a safe injury-free exercise program.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, recurring injury, muscle imbalance or postural deviation, I strongly suggest consulting with a physician before starting any type of exercise routine. If you are healthy but unsure how to perform an exercise, consult with an experienced certified fitness professional on how to execute an exercise with proper form and technique, which will omit the risk of injury. Most trainers will give free advice here and there without expecting anything in return. Don’t be afraid to ask!

* 3 to 6 working sets of either squats or leg press 8-12 reps each set

* 3 to 6 sets of reverse lunges 10–20 reps, left and right side

* 5 sets oblique crunches 15–20, left and right side

* 30 minutes of cardio elliptical (hill or interval program)

* 3 to 6 sets of wide grip lat pull-down or assisted pull-ups 8-12 reps

* 3 to 6 sets of close grip lat pull-down 8-12 reps

* 3 sets of reverse grip pull-down 10–20 reps

* 30 minutes of cardio recumbent bike (hill or interval program)

* 3 to 6 sets flat bench press (barbell)

8-12 reps

* 3 to 6 sets of hammer strength wide chest 8-12 reps

* 3 sets of halfway down push-ups 10-25 reps

* 5 sets of straight legged sit-ups 10-40 reps

* 30 minutes of cardio on treadmill (hill or interval program)

* 3 to 6 sets front squat or dumbbell squats 8-12 reps

* 3 to 6 sets hack squat 10–20 reps

* 30 minutes on Stairmaster (hill or interval program)

* 3 to 6 sets seated cable row close grip

* 3 to 6 sets seated cable row wide grip

* 3 to 6 sets single arm dumbbell row

* 30 minutes on Stepmill (hill or interval program)

* 3 to 6 sets incline bench press (barbell) 8-12 reps

* 3 to 6 sets of hammer strength incline chest 8-12

* 3 sets of half way down push-ups

10-25 reps

* 5 sets of straight legged sit-ups 10-40 reps

* 30 minutes of cardio on treadmill (hill or interval program)

* 55 minutes of cardio your choice

If your goal is to bulk up, follow these tips:

* It is as easy as ABC – Always Be Consuming food. You will need to be in a caloric surplus to maintain an anabolic environment for your muscles to grow.

* Workout with intensity, lifting heavy weights in the 6 to 10 rep range with longer rest intervals in the 4 to 5 minute range.

* Eat red meat if you want to pack it on; however, make sure you are consuming polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats to keep you cholesterol down.

* Supplement with 5 to 20 grams of creatine per day.

* You’ll need plenty of sleep to allow your body to recuperate from intense exercise.

* If you have a job or go to school, it is nearly impossible to over-train. If you are not growing, it is likely you are not eating enough or you are lacking intensity.

* 5 sets of squats 10 reps

* 5 sets of deadlifts 10 reps

* 3 sets of leg press, drop sets 10-10-10 for 30 reps total

* 5 sets flat bench dumbell chest press 10 reps

* 5 sets flat bench chest press 10 reps

* 3 sets pec deck drop sets 10-10-10 for 30 reps total

5 sets triceps french press 10 reps

* 5 sets of seated calf raises 50 to 100 reps

* 5 sets of weighted ab crunches 50 to 100 reps

* 5 sets barbell row 10 reps

* 5 sets lat pull-down 10 reps

* 3 sets of seated cable row drop sets 10-10-10 for 30 reps total

* 5 sets of preacher curl 10 reps with emphasis on the eccentric contraction

* 5 sets of military press 10 reps

* 5 sets of upright row 10 reps

* 5 sets of seated calf raises 50 to 100 reps

* 5 sets of weighted ab crunches 50 to 100 reps