As a personal trainer, I help motivate my clients to achieve their fitness goals. I'd like to share some common traits from clients who succeed by setting realistic goals, then taking steps to reach them.

Start with a Winning Attitude

If you feel trapped in an unbearable situation and want to change, realize you have the power to change. You make choices every day, and you can always make different choices. Believe in yourself and the power you have!

Set Specific Goals

To achieve your goal, first clearly define it. Your goal might be to "lose weight," but this is too general and needs to be refined into specific behavior changes that are necessary to lose weight. Examples of specific goals:

"I will eliminate 150 calories a day from my food intake for the next month."

"I will perform 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week for the next two months."

"I will pack a healthy lunch instead of eating fast food twice a week for the next three weeks."

Record Your Progress

Keeping a record of your eating, exercising, and behavior habits will allow you to periodically evaluate how well you are progressing toward your goals. This way, you can document your rate of change and add a sense of accomplishment.

Be Action Oriented

When you set goals, it's not enough to just think or talk about making changes. Achieving your goals involves action. Focus on specific steps that move you toward your goal. Don't waste energy just thinking about your goals any more!

Be Realistic

If your goals aren't realistic, you'll set yourself up for failure. Long-term goals are achieved by reaching numerous short-term goals. You'll gain confidence as you take baby steps. Setting goals which require drastic reductions in food or increases in time exercising will ultimately result in failure.

Set a Time Frame

Setting a specific time frame can help motivate you and sets the stage for readjusting or setting new goals. A series of timed, short-term goals can serve as stepping stones to the long-term goal.

In my experience helping clients lose fat, I know the most effective strategies. I'd like to share these strategies in my Get Lean Plan. A sexy waistline can be yours if you take these actions:

1. Cut Calories with Smart Food Choices

To get lean, choose lower-calorie foods. Eliminate fatty and sugary foods, then replace them with lean alternatives. For example, instead of fried chicken, eat a grilled chicken breast. For breakfast, dump those donuts and try a healthy bowl of oatmeal.

2. Reduce Portion Sizes

Portions are smaller than you think. A serving of meat is 3 oz. (the size of a deck of cards). A serving of rice or pasta is 1 cup. And carefully read food labels. If a container of food says it has 2.5 servings, you'll be over-eating if you eat it all. Better yet, don't buy large packages in the first place.

3. Drink Water

Drink water like there's a drought coming. Choose other calorie-free drinks, including tea, club soda, and diet soft drinks. Many people find they eat less food if they drink a large glass of water before each meal. Water fills your stomach, keeping hunger in check.

4. Eat Small, Frequent Meals

Starting with a healthy breakfast, eat 5 to 6 small meals each day. Eating frequently will help rev-up your metabolism and stabilize blood-sugar levels to prevent hunger from taking control of you. Take food and water with you to work and while traveling. Plan to have healthy snacks available.

5. Do Cardiovascular Exercise

To burn your body fat, you must do cardio. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 3 to 5 sessions each week. When you're beginning, go for 20 minutes. Then increase to 60 minutes as you progress. Pick exercises you enjoy and have fun! (See the next article for my suggestions of the best exercises.)

6. Train with Weights

Weight training can build more lean muscle. More muscle helps raise your metabolism which, in turn, helps you burn more calories even while you're resting. In my training sessions, I'll help you get the maximum fat-loss benefit by focusing on your major muscle groups and keeping the pace moving.

My primary goal is to help you lose fat. So, let's talk about your cardiovascular exercise plan. If you want to lose fat, you have to use that stored energy by doing cardio! I want you to do these rhythmic, continuous exercises which elevate your heartrate and burn lots of fat.

The Most Effective Cardio Exercises

Generally, the most effective exercises involve moving and lifting your body. This gets your heartrate its highest and burns the maximum calories. For example, you expend more calories running than biking because you're on your feet instead of seated. Be sure to pick exercises you enjoy, because I want you to stay with the plan. Here are my favorite cardio exercises:

Intermediate-Level Exercises:
Elliptical machine
Walking uphill on a treadmill
Biking
Active dancing
Swimming
Aerobics classes

Advanced-Level Exercises:
Jumping rope
Racquetball or squash
Climbing stairs or Metro escalators
Running
Ultimate frisbee
Kickboxing class
Basketball (full court team play)

The Most Effective Intensity Level

There are several ways to monitor the appropriate intensity level for cardio exercises. The easiest is the "talk test." When you're exercising at the right intensity level, it should feel slightly uncomfortable to talk. If you can recite the Declaration of Independence with ease, pick up the pace! Conversely, if you can't utter your name, slow it down!