What happened? This is the likely scenario. One year ago you made a resolution to go to the gym. And you did. A lot! Five to six times per week at an hour and a half a pop. You only lasted three weeks before you stopped going. Wonder why?

Here’s the answer. First of all, who in the world these days has 8-9 hours a week to dedicate to working out? Within three weeks, you had fallen so far behind in your house work, your kid work, and your work that you realized you just didn’t have time to workout. Worst of all you didn’t lose that twenty to thirty pounds you expected to. Well of course not! Not in three weeks.

Sure you felt better than you had in twelve months and your clothes even started to fit better, but everyday you’d climb on that scale and see minuscule, if any, change. So, with all that time commitment and little to show for it, you stopped going and went back to looking for that magic pill lurking in some nutrition store or doctor’s prescription pad. Sound familiar? You are one of the hordes of people that go through this same routine year in and year out.

The question begs, how are you going to avoid falling into the trap this year? One way is to avoid setting un-realistic goals. It may have taken twelve months or for that matter, twelve years to end up in the shape you are now, yet you expect to see results within three weeks? You can’t approach working out like a sprinter approaches his race.

Exercise is a race that goes on and on and on. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It is consistency over time (months and years), not a short term effort followed by prolonged hibernation. Allow yourself just 2-3 days and 30 minutes a session to start. Work it into your schedule. Don’t let it disrupt your or your family’s routine too much. As the weeks and months go by, you’ll find it easier to spend more time working out.

Expect the weight to come off slowly. That’s right, slowly! If you’re adding muscle to your body at the same time you’re losing fat, you won’t see the scale tipping in your favor immediately. It will be awhile. And that is just fine! Burning off the excess fat and changing your body composition is what’s important. If you remain consistent the weight will come off.

One of your best bets for achieving your goals is to consult and work with a certified personal trainer. This county is now filled with fine, knowledgeable trainers that can help you with everything from goal setting to diet and nutritional counseling. Having your trainer establish your current level of fitness through strength, flexibility, cardiorespiratory, and body composition testing and then comparing this data to tests performed sometime in the future (say 6-8 weeks) will allow you to objectify and understand the gains you are making. This is powerful information that will help keep you motivated.

It’s been said that if you could bottle up all the benefits of exercise and squeeze them into a pill, it would be the most widely prescribed pill in the world. Well folks, it hasn’t been done yet and I don’t see it on the horizon. Guess you’re just going to have to strap on the athletic shoes and head to the gym. Good luck and have fun!

(Editor’s Note: Wade Zinn is the owner of the Poulsbo Athletic Club).