Every January, countless people make a commitment to get more exercise in the coming new year, and every year many of those people will fail. Maybe you’re one of those people who tries and fails every year. Maybe you’ve never tried because you know you’re likely to fail. Maybe you already have an exercise regimen but it’s not getting the results you want. Whether you’re just starting or trying to get out of a rut, the question remains the same: what can you do to make sure that you beat the odds and meet your fitness goals?

Prepare

Preparedness is key when you’re trying to maximize your fitness routine. Preparedness when it comes to exercise can take many forms. There is a basic level of preparation: you must stretch before and after any strenuous exercise, and you should always be prepared to hydrate and stay hydrated throughout your routine. Additionally, there are dietary choices you can make that will make your exercise more effective. For example, you may want to eat more protein if you’re trying to build muscle or look into oregano oil uses and other supplements that might help cleanse your system and boost your energy levels.

Get a Trainer

A professional’s eye is always useful, especially when it comes to matters of health. Exercise is a matter of health: having a trainer can help prevent injury and make sure that you are doing your exercises properly. A trainer can also tailor your routine to your needs and desires. This is key: a generic recommendation for what exercises to do won’t take into account your unique physiology, body type and lifestyle. A trainer can work with you to adjust your plans in response to your changing goals as well as the general effectiveness of different techniques. On top of that, a trainer can get on your case to provide gentle encouragement or more insistent reminders as needed.

Find Buddies

A trainer at the gym acts like a support system to hold you accountable to your health and exercise goals. You should also look for partners that will encourage you to go to the gym and hold you accountable when you do not. Your trainer can’t be with you every minute of every day, but your friends and family can. You can even use social media to find accountability buddies that will help you reach your fitness goals. The whole point is to help create a sustainable system of support that can help you take responsibility and carry you through the challenges ahead.

Make Habits

The point of having proper preparation, seeking professional help when needed and making a support system is to ensure your success. But when it comes to success, the biggest indicator of long term success is creating sustainable habits. If you make exercise a part of your everyday routine, then fitness won’t be far behind. This step cycles right back around to preparation because habit-building is perhaps the most important preparation you can make. Find an exercise plan that integrates seamlessly with your lifestyle. What exactly that looks like will be up to you: maybe it’s the choice to run or bike to work, or a regular gym date with your friends, or a promise with your spouse to use the gym you set up in the basement.The ideal goal is to have a lifestyle where you don’t have to make the choice to exercise; instead you are making the choice to not exercise. Making a choice takes effort and creates a mental block, so wherever possible you should eliminate the choice barriers that stand between you and your fitness goals.

Whatever your goals are, these four steps have universal applicability. Even if you already make preparations, have a trainer, fitness friends and a routine, it helps to take the occasional step back and make sure that everything is working as well and as hard as it can. Part of a successful fitness regimen is making changes as needed.