This month we're going to tackle the "New Year's Resolution" issue.

According to experts people make and break New Year's Resolutions more than any other commitment made the rest of the year.

I believe a lot of people talk about resolutions just to be with the "IN CROWD" but really have no plan on following through with any of them. For others, the resolutions are just too vague or they really don't believe they can get done.

But for the person who really wants to commit to the "The New Year's Resolution", you need to have a strategy, plan it out, and find ways to stick with it. Many people decide they want to lost weight, start out motivated, then s omething happens around the end of January, and there goes that motivation. You need to find ways to keep things moving, see and get over the barriers (excuses) and be prepared for the people who tell you it can't be done. Here are the tips that I have used and they work, but you have to be prepared to take action yourself.

Let me start at the beginning. Back in January of 2012 I weighed 310 pounds and wanted to lose weight. My goal is to weigh 200 pounds. So I had a long way to go. I started my diet on January 2. I told my family and some of my friends what I planned. Basically I cut out starches and processed foods: breads, pasta, potatoes, cereals and desserts, nothing earth-shattering. And I started walking.

My family was supportive and said we will join you and eat what you eat. That helps; this way you only have to cook one meal. But some of my friends just laughed at me and basically said you have a snowball's change in hell at sticking with it. At that point I decided not to tell another person. I would just let the results do my talking.

The first month was the hardest. For the first 30 days I ate lunch alone; this way no one could tempt me or ridicule me. I saved money because I ate different foods (and I didn't have to buy any one else lunch!) Turns out I got more work done and I stayed on my diet.

When I did have lunch with others I made sure I picked the restaurant, this way I knew they had food I would eat.

Another tactic I used was blame everything on your doctor! When people asked me why I wasn't eating a certain food I just said my doctor told me not to eat it because of my health issues. Amazingly everyone just said, "yep I get it. Too bad though."

I get bored with exercise so I knew I had to have plan I could live with. I mean don't do the same thing all the time. I have added more miles to my walk, and bought a treadmill to add variety, like speed and hills. On the treadmill I made index cards with different times on them and different inclines so it made walking as interesting as it could be (for a treadmill). I started jumping rope, and boy, is that a lesson in humility. Who thought a kid's toy could make you look like such a fool?

As I got in better shape and lost weight I made the exercise programs longer. As of today I jog/run 4 miles in the morning and jump rope 100 times (sometimes without stopping). Now I've added yoga for some extra variety and we'll see how that goes.  

To get past the times when I seem to have no motivation, I use positive affirmations. Before each workout I remind myself where I started from, how far I've already come, and challenge myself to finish the session, or to go another 10 minutes, or whatever. This is so my subconscious gets on board. It's a vital part of WHY YOU FAIL OR SUCCEED. Or more importantly why people around you fail or succeed. The subconscious is at play there so be ready for an eye opener.

And the last thing I do is call the foods that I eat FOOD. The stuff I don't eat is a PRODUCT and nobody eats PRODUCTs we eat FOOD.

So there you have it, my way to follow through on a New Year's Resolution that some of you might have made. I guess you want to know how much I've lost? As of today, January 3^rd 2013, I weigh 215 pounds. That's 95 pounds gone, not bad huh?

See you next month Paul