Did you write New Years resolutions this year? Did at least one of your resolutions have to do with maintaining better nutrition or more consistent exercise? If so, you are in good company! Make this your year to stick to the resolutions, and make 2012 your healthiest year yet!

So, what is the key to actually following through on resolutions this year? … Maintaining the right motivations. I have written about intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in a previous blog. If you need a refresher – scroll down and read it (June 5, 2011 post). You cannot be effectively motivated for the long haul by things like, “I want to look good in a bikini for our vacation”, “I have a wedding coming up”, etc, etc. Your vacations and big events will come and go. Develop long term intrinsic motivations to carry you through 2012. Write them down and referece them if/when you feel discouraged. You can do it! This is your year. Make it happen.

P.S. If you are planning on working out at the gym more often, here is an article with some great tips 🙂

The 27 Rules of Conquering the Gym

My favorites are:

3. Develop a gym routine. Try to go at least three times a week. Do a mix of strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. After the third week, stop carrying around that satchel of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

4. No one in the history of gyms has ever lost a pound while reading “The New Yorker” and slowly pedaling a recumbent bicycle. No one

9. “Great job!” is trainer-speak for “It’s not polite for me to laugh at you.”

11. Gyms have two types of members: Members who wipe down the machines after using them, and the worst people in the universe.

14. You can take 10 Minute Abs, 20 Minute Abs, and 30 Minute Abs. There is also Stop Eating Pizza and Eating Sheet Cake Abs—but that’s super tough!

27. There is no secret. Exercise and lay off the fries. The end.