Fit in 5: New Year Challenge

You know the drill. The New Year is finally here, and that means it's time to focus on improving yourself. Maybe you want to read more. Procrastinate less. Get fit. Whatever.

It's a time to do you.

This is a fantastic tradition that I believe in totally. We can all be better versions of ourselves, and that's what I'm all about: Empowerment through improvement.

Now when it comes to fitness, it can get tricky. Everybody has questions. "What should my diet look like?" "How often should I work out?"  ... "What exercises should I do?" ... "When should I do them?"

All these questions, normal as they are, can lead to that feeling of being overwhelmed, which can make the most well-intentioned people do absolutely nothing. Nada. And that's not empowering at all.

Let me offer some assistance. I've designed a five-day program to jump start your fitness routine.

It's complete with a sample daily meal plan and exercise program that covers everything. All you have to do is the work.

The nutrition plan consists of several meals each day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) to provide you with good sources of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats that really boost your metabolism.

The workout plan consists of daily cardio plus a muscle group specific exercise routine for each day (Monday for shaping legs. Tuesday for toning arms and abs, etc.). The routines include set and rep suggestions and links to exercise demos.

This program will help you maximize your gym membership. You can choose to do this program for the five days, or repeat the program each week up to 4 weeks. Ready to go? It's only $9. But it's only available for a limited time -- just like your chance to use the New Year to help create a New You.

Click here to get started.

5 Tips to Keep Your Fitness Resolutions

It's New Year's Eve -- that means many people will be getting their fitness resolutions together. If you're one, check out my tips that will help you stick to it throughout the year.

1. Understand your motivation. Be honest with yourself about why you want to reach your fitness goals. If you want to lose weight to feel sexier and more confident, then realize that those things are important to you. Don't tell yourself false motivations, such as to be healthier -- if that's not your real reason. Just be honest, at least with yourself.

2. Set realistic goals. Instead of starting the year off saying you're going to lose 50 plus pounds, start off with 5 pounds as your goal. Then reset your goal for another 5 pounds, then another 5 and so on. Setting your goals too high puts a lot of pressure on yourself and puts you at risk of falling off altogether.

3. Start small. Many people think that they have to change every bad habit they have overnight. Well, you can try, but I will about guarantee that come March, you'll have completely fallen off. Setting the bar too high can hinder progress. Think about building new habits each month. For example, in January commit to never skipping breakfast. Then in February, commit to a number of workouts each week and so on.

4. Schedule a race. If you plan to do a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon you'll have something to train for. If your goals are to be more active and eat better, having a race to perform in will help you stay on track.

5. Make your goals public. Telling your friends and family about your goals will help you stay commited. Nobody likes to be "all talk" when it comes do accomplishments. Stating your goals out loud will help keep you accountable to yourself.

Happy New Year!