Put your fitness goals in motion

A lot of people fail at their New Year's exercise goals because they have unrealistic expectations, said Mike Hildebrandt, the area director of fitness at the Treasure Valley Axiom gyms.

They know where they are, and they know where they want to be, but may misjudge the time commitment needed to reach those goals.

"They want it, but they haven't figured out the roadmap on how to get there," Hildebrandt said.

This is not an instant gratification process. You want something maintainable and realistic that will still be working for you six or 12 months down the road. He said it's a good idea to sit down with a personal trainer and figure out what is realistic, what your time commitment is, what time of day you're going to make that commitment, and what your roadblocks are going to be.

"Sit down and map it out," he said. "Find out where you are going to make those changes in your schedule."

"You have to book it," said Kim Rose, certified personal trainer and owner of Nampa Fit Studio. "You have to work it into your schedule just like a doctor's appointment."

Rose led teams in the Canyon County Weight Loss Challenge for four straight years and plans on doing it again in this year's St. Luke's $10,000 Weight Loss Challenge. She had 57 applications this year to be on her team, and she winnowed that down to 20. They needed to have a BMI over 30, and they needed to answer five essay questions.

"I only want the ones who are serious," she said.

A team situation is good, because you're around people who are all fighting the same battle. Rose's group held its first team meeting nearly a month before the first weigh-in.

Rose starts her team members with one simple task - keep a log of what you eat.

"Your first assignment is to just write it down," she said. What you eat, when you eat, where you eat - everything. It's easier to know what you're fighting if you can see it in black and white.

Another one of the first steps is to build a good support team.

"Somebody to hold you accountable," Rose said. "I think that's a key to a lot of our clients' success."

(To help ensure that accountability, clients at her gym are subject to a no-show fee. There's a penalty for slacking off. You signed up for a reason, remember?)

Meanwhile, that support system can be at the gym, at home or with a circle of friends.

Hildebrandt suggests getting a workout partner. You don't have to go it alone, and there's nothing wrong with adding a social element to it. He recommends a gym or other formal place of exercise where you can find the atmosphere and the like-minded people and trainers who will help keep you on track.

"Success is a result of the energy we put out," he said.

"I think it's best to work with someone, at least to start out with, before you jump in." Rose said. Once you get started in the right direction, then keep looking for that next challenge - "that next framework to put around your goals."

"The first month or two you're just learning how to do it," she said. And yes, it's hard work. "It hurts. But it hurts more being obese. You might as well do it so that you're earning it."

Hildebrandt says to just start slow. Two or three times a week is an acceptable starting place. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park at the far end of the parking lot. Eat out less often.

"It's more of a behavioral goal than an outcome goal," he said.

Nor does exercise have to be on those intense, hard steel, workout machines. From jazz dance to kickboxing, or from yoga to Pilates, there are so many different ways to get your exercise these days that there will be something out there that will excite you, Rose said.

"Just move," she said. "Your body will respond to that lower intensity. Consistency always trumps intensity. One salad doesn't make you slim, and one cheeseburger doesn't make you fat. It's what you do consistently."

You'll hear that same philosophy from every personal trainer. Hildebrandt is no exception.

"Consistency over time equals results," he said. "There's no quick fix. No quick diet. None of that really makes you successful in the long run. Being consistent will give you results time and time again."

Because it's really about your lifestyle and making sure you have put exercise on your calendar.

"We don't have a weight loss problem; we have a weight management problem," he said.