Well, if getting a "new and improved" body is one of those goals, I want to help.



I think one of the main reasons people don't achieve their

fitness goals is because they're confused about what they really need to do.

So I've found that it helps to take a step back and look at each part of fitness as "pieces to a puzzle". What I mean is, instead of becoming overwhelmed and confused about all you have to do, break it down into bite-sized chunks.

And there are 3 main "chunks" to look at. So you want to separate, the best you can, your approach to these 3 key areas.

If I had to give just 3 areas to focus on in 2006 that will help you achieve more results in less time, here they are:

1. Your nutrition

It's first because it's most important. We gain and lose weight based upon what we eat, so it needs to be the first thing you consider.

Basically, you want to be eating a small, well-balanced meal every 3 to 4 hours. That comes out to around 6 small meals a day you want to be consuming. Breaking meals down like this is one of the most important things you can do to increase your metabolism.

Try and make each meal contain a lean protein source, (chicken, fish, lean red meat) a starchy complex carb (whole grains, brown rice) and a vegetable.

If you can't find the time to make all these meals from regular food, meal replacements can be a valuable option. These shakes have come a long, long way.

Most now taste good and have a great nutritional profile. They're pretty cost-effective as well. I usually use a couple of them a day, in between my whole food meals that I eat. Meal replacements can be a very useful tool if used correctly.

So, as you can see, nothing extravagant here. In order to see results, start eating better.

2. Your weight training

This is one area that I see so many people doing wrong. They head into the gym without a plan of attack. Failing to plan, planning to fail.

Either that or they're armed with the wrong information that they grabbed from the pages of a muscle and fitness mag. Train like the pros and you'll be killing your results.

In all simplicity, building muscle comes from lifting heavy weight. It's that simple. It doesn't come from variety, body positioning, or doing a ton of reps with light weight.

To grow muscle, you must force it to grow. And you do this by lifting more weight over time. So if you're using a lot of reps, sets, and exercises thinking that more is better, you're missing the boat.

3. Your cardio

Like a lot of things in life, "short and sweet" fits the bill here. You don't need to run for hours or walk for days to lose fat. All it takes is conditioning your metabolism to burn at a faster rate.

And intense cardio raises your metabolic rate so that it becomes more efficient. You start burning more calories at rest. You burn very few calories during the time of performing cardio.

The benefits of cardio come long after you're done your session.

So, to eliminate fat, you want to raise your resting heart rate and metabolism so that its working for you around the clock. Even while you're sleeping.

Keep your cardio sessions brief yet intense. 15 to 20 minutes tops. This "quality over quantity" approach will yield a lot more results.

In closing, it's important that you separate each of the phases of fitness. When you're trying to lose fat, focus just on doing that. Do cardio to the best of your ability.

When you're attempting to build muscle, work on that the best you can. Try and become stronger and more intense in your weight training routine.

Separating all phases of your "attack" will help you focus on each one more and help to clarify exactly what needs to be done with each.

This way, you don't become so overwhelmed with everything you need to do. Instead, you can just concentrate on one area at a time.

There you have 3 simple but powerful things you can do this year to make it your most productive year in the gym.

If changing your body is one of your main goals this year, I want you to take action to go get it.