“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”—Maria Robinson

By Christie Jones

Are you ready to get in shape? Of course you are! It’s the New Year and you make a resolution to get in shape EVERY year.

You know that regular exercise not only keeps you strong, slim, and youthful but also makes you feel mentally alert, happier and more positive. You know a healthy mom sets a good example for the kids. But somehow…

If you want 2009 to be the year that you really, truly stick to your resolution to exercise regularly, sit down and think things through before you rush off and sign up for any old gym membership.

Maggie Black, a potter, teacher and busy mom, finally managed to achieve her exercise goals this year after 15 years of procrastinating and breaking frequent resolutions.

“Sure, I always exercised some, but it was very sporadic—I’d get really busy and say I didn’t have time for weeks or months on end,” she says.

So what made the difference?

“I think I was really realistic this time around. It DOES take time, and it’s not easy. I just decided that I was going to do it, regardless of my schedule, my energy level, or what my kids wanted to do—I had to learn to be firm about taking the time for myself. I started out quite slowly by walking my kids to the bus. Next I began going to the gym three times a week to walk on the treadmill; then I upped it to five days, and then I started adding in classes. I treat myself—I’ll buy a book I want in hardcover to read on the treadmill instead of waiting for the paperback, or I’ll take a class that has really great music.

“I feel optimistic about the direction I’m going in. Instead of feeling bad about myself, I know that I’m achieving very real changes. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in for 15 years and I’m still going strong.”

Make 2009 the year that you, like Maggie, stick to, or reinvigorate, your exercise program.

Make goals

Do you want killer biceps or a strong back to help your posture? Do you yearn to be more flexible? Do you want a leaner, tauter physique? Write down your goals, and visualize yourself achieving them. Note your progress on a daily or weekly basis on Prevention.com’s free Health Tracker.

Plan a program

What kind of program will help you to achieve your goals? Do you thrive with boisterous gym classes or dance classes, or will you do better with solitary walks that give you time to think creatively? Might a regular partner motivate you? Could a yoga or Pilates studio membership give you the focused and reflective time you crave?

Find the Time

Figure out the best time to exercise, starting small—maybe three times a week, or half an hour a day—and write it on your calendar in ink. Remember that morning is usually best—if you wait until evening, you’ll have all day to think up an excuse for not exercising. If you can’t count on 30 minutes or an hour at a stretch, make a plan to fit several 10-minute “exercise bites” into your day. Work out childcare if your kids are very young. Trade with another mom, find a gym with babysitting, find a variety of videos to work out to during nap time, or plan to walk pushing a stroller.

Plan for Challenges

What can you do if you get busy at work? What will happen if it’s too icy to take your regular walk? Exercise programs lapse when a few missed days get us out of the habit. Have a Plan B ready. Maybe you can run up and down the stairs in ten-minute increments on extra-long workdays. Keep a mini-trampoline at home (small, cheap, and easily stored—much better than a treadmill!) and use while watching some motivating TV, like BBCAmerica’s truly terrifying You Are What You Eat.

Change it Up

Once exercise has become a daily habit, don’t run the risk of boredom. Look for challenges. Try new classes, walk new routes, add weights. Get laughing—with bellydancing, salsa or hip-hop. A personal trainer can really help you to fine tune your program.

If you think you don’t have time to commit to exercise, consider this.

We in the US often take better care of our cars than our bodies. We do those oil changes, get new brakes, wash off winter salt and fill up the washer fluid. Why? Because we know that if we don’t, either the car will die, or we will, in a horrible accident. So if we can take such good care of something that will last just a few years, why can’t we find the time and energy to take care of ourselves? Nike has it right. JUST DO IT!