You hate being out of shape, yet you think you have to be in shape to work out at the gym to compete with the frequent visitors who look amazing. It’s a vicious cycle.

If you keep putting off your ambitions to get fit, you will never step foot in a gym. However much you believe you have to be in shape to work out at the gym, it’s just another excuse formulated to further prolong starting an exercise program.

According to Weight Watcher’s International, losing weight is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions.

Unfortunately, most people fall off the wagon by February or March and weight loss yet again floats to the back of their minds. Don’t let this happen to you.

If your New Year’s resolution is to sculpt your body into a worship-worthy masterpiece, go about it in a realistic way. If you go full force into any exercise or nutrition program, chances are, you won’t stick with it.

So, make a deal with yourself that you’ll go to the gym three times a week instead of seven, and don’t restrict yourself completely when it comes to food. Eating healthy can still taste good and it shouldn’t be a punishment.

Nutrition is crucial in reaching any fitness goal, whether it be building muscle, losing weight or increasing performance. I cannot stress the enormous role nutrition plays.

I have trained a variety of clients, from a 350-pound scale tipper to a 94-pound soccer mom.

Of all my clients, those who ate reasonably well and consistently worked out saw remarkable success compared to those who frequented the gym three times a day and ate anything they wanted.

Exercise is not a cure for weight loss, it just aids in the process.

Here are a few simple tips for improving your diet:

• Try to incorporate more whole grain products such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole – wheat breads or pastas. Look for a fiber content of at least three grams. Fiber will help keep you fuller longer.
• Try to decrease the size and increase the frequency of your meals. This will speed up your metabolism and help shrink the size of your stomach. According to bodybuildingforyou.com eating six small meals a day will help you burn fat, build muscle and be on the way to achieving the body of your dreams.
• Add a handful of nuts into your day. Nuts have the “good” monounsaturated fat, which can actually help to promote weight loss.

When starting a new exercise program, remember form is the make-it-or-break-it factor.

What is the use of squatting 450 pounds if you can’t even perform one squat correctly?

All you are doing is training your body to use your muscles incorrectly, which will transfer to everyday things and cause your body to be out of alignment, leading to injury.

I have yet to see one person at the student recreation center who can execute a squat correctly.

Trust me boys, it is not a turn-on if you grab a set of eighty-pound dumbbells and have to arch your back like an Alaskan whale to whip the weight up for a bicep curl.

You also need to make sure you hit every major muscle group, which includes chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps and legs.

Muscle not only burns fat, it also gives the appearance of being leaner.

Most importantly, have fun and add variety. Try adding a group exercise class, like boot camp or S.E.T to cross train and increase the intensity of your workouts.

Group exercise is great because it’s free, you have someone else pushing you and you receive all the benefits of personal training without the cost.