This time of year, you need to review your year of weight loss and fat loss. How did you do?

Do you have less body fat and weigh less? Or, did you gain weight and your body fat increased? Are you eating healthier than you did last year? Is your health better (schedule that physical exam!)? Did you have a good meal plan to follow? Honestly answer these questions!

If you have not made progress with your fat loss and weight loss, you need to determine the reasons why.

Your clothes should be fitting looser, your body should be more toned, you should be able to do some type of interval cardio (instead of slow-paced cardio), you should be able to get through a 30 minute circuit weight training workout, etc.

Here are some observations that I see in some people:

1. Some of you are still doing the same poorly designed workouts and getting the same "little or no success results" from your workouts. You're still throwing your money away at these gyms.

2. Then, there are those who have decided to follow a workout program they found in a fitness magazine.....this is better than you trying to figure it all out on your own but a program found in a magazine is not individualized for your specific fat loss needs and goals.

3. There's a group of you who have already given up the fight to get fit because you are overwhelmed.....you don't believe you can really get a "leaned out" body.

4. Some still think they can eat like they always have and just workout longer and harder. The only problem with this tactic is that it does no good to burn 500 calories during a workout and later eat 900 calories of bad food.

5. Some are still wasting money on pills, patches, creams and fat-burner supplements......its the workouts and good nutrition that will get you fit!

6. There's still a group of you who haven't figured out that it takes hard, smart workouts to get fit......you need to learn how to workout hard.

7. And, some have gym memberships they still aren't using.

Whatever the case, it doesn't have to be that way......don't underestimate the value of well-designed fitness program put together by a certified personal trainer. It makes all the difference because you get direction, feedback and encouragement from a trainer who is fit and knows what it takes to get fit and stay fit.

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Mark Dilworth at My Fitness Hut