New Years Resolutions: The Only Three Things That Matter

There are three things, and three things only that determine a persons success or failure in terms of their fat loss goals this New Years. 

And they aren't what you think they are.

The three most important factors in hitting your fat loss goals this year:

1.) Habit

2.) Accountability

3.) Planning

Everything else is secondary.  Being on the "right" diet doesn't matter if you aren't in the habit of following diets.  In fact, most diets will produce some result if you just follow them.

Being on the "right" workout program is secondary.  I've said it before – people get good results doing a crappy workout program balls to the wall.  People get no results doing a good workout program half assed.

Get a good program and someone following it and the results are near magical.  But the magic comes in the doing.

If you created the habit of being on a nutrition plan and being on a workout plan, you'll see some results.  Lets say you only see 1/4 of the results you want – you can always change your plan for a better one.  You've already got the habit of doing it (the hard part), so getting the right plan is easy.

It's the people who are not in the habit of following through on a nutrition plan and workout plan that never see results.

Habit is simply momentum in doing a thing.  That it becomes more normal to do it than to not do it.

Accountability is external pressure to do something.  Accountability is even more powerful than habit.  Accountability is an important measure to take in creating habits.

Here is what a plan should look like:

"I'll hire a personal trainer to create my workout program and I'll workout with my trainer every Monday night. 

Wednesday and Friday nights I'll workout with my workout partner Betty. 

I've talked to Betty about doing the workouts my trainer gave me, so I've got three days that I'm following the plan, and I've got someone else to do it with. 

If Betty can't make it, I'll call Sue and go with her to that bootcamp class she goes to. 

If neither Betty nor Sue can workout with me, then I'll go running with Jessica on Sunday afternoon.

I'll buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmer's market every Saturday.

Tuesday night at 9pm I'll throw away all of the processed food, sugary food, and high calorie snacks that are in my house.

Thursday night at 8pm I'll talk to my spouse about supporting me in my goals by helping me get to my workouts and helping me make smart food choices."

Can you see the difference between that and how most people approach their New Years resolutions? 

That is the difference between hitting your fat loss goals this year, or just watching another year go by.

I'm writing this article a fair bit ahead of New Years.  For those of you reading this now – think about the habits part.  If it takes 21 days to create a habit, this would be the perfect opportunity to practice new habits before New Years.  Roll into 2008 with some new powerful fat loss habits and transform your body forever.

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By Josh Hillis
Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds

Josh is one of the five fat loss experts in The Ultimate Fat Loss Answers

Josh is a fat loss expert, a kettlebell instructor and personal trainer in Denver, Colorado.  Josh helps women lose stubborn fat.

Josh is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES), and currently studying the Corective Exercise Specialist (NASM-CES) course.

© Joshua Hillis 2007