For beginners, getting into fitness can be intimidating and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, getting fit is one of the most straightforward tasks you can attempt. Fortunately, reaching your fitness goals requires only two things; discipline (that’s up to you) and a set of simple guidelines (which I’m happy to provide).

First, you should arrange for a full physical examination from your physician. This is mandatory for people that have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or are obese. Once you have your doctor’s approval to begin a fitness program, you should schedule a fitness assessment with a health professional at your gym.

Maybe these can be annoying for you, but they are essential to your well-being and success. The benefit are obvious when you visit your doctor, specially if you have any of the mentioned conditions and can also help your doctor check your lifestyle. Always include your doctor as part of your fat loss and health team, along with your health coach at the gym.

The real benefits of the fitness assessment aren’t finding out how much body fat you have or how many minutes you can last on the treadmill, but rather getting a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. If you want to avoid injury and actually achieve your goals this year, get to know your strengths and weaknesses.

The next secret is to walk, don’t run, to fitness success. If you want to pick up your University running workouts where you left them 10 years ago, that’s fine. But I guarantee you won’t last 10 days. And then it’ll be a dreary 355 days until you’re ready to try exercise again.

One unknown benefit of your fitness assesment is that it will give you a nice workout to start with. It will give you a real view of what your body is up to. Once you do your fitness test you will know what your body weakness are and what you can really do and you will learn to work under those limits.

Goal-setting is the fourth secret to success (and not just in fitness, but in any area of life). It is much more effective to commit to a set of specific short-term and long-term goals than it is to routinely hope for weight loss each year. Set realistic goals and remember to train within your limits. If you are currently sedentary and haven’t exercised in months (or years), don’t begin an advanced training program. Start with a conservative beginner program. Your belly wasn’t built in a day, and neither will be lost overnight.

Your first work out should be one set per muscle group. In the second week you will be ready to add another set. In the third week you will add an additional set. Increase the weight each week and stay under your plan. Don’t get sore. Sore muscles are normal when you workout, but should be kept to a minimum.

And now for 2 super secrets that will help keep you committed and consistent with your workouts and will finally help you lose fat for good.

Get yourself a Social Support Team. Your social support is the first point for your success. This team can be your friends and family, your co-workers, your doctor and your trainer. They are your support in this trip. You will have a better chance of winning if you have your spouse backing you up.

Nutrition is the second most important factor in your fat loss diet program. When you start losing fat it will be because you’ve changed your food habits. Remember that no amount of excercise is going to help you if you don’t change those.

Nutrition is a lot simpler than you think. Don’t over think things. See a nutritionist or listen to what your mother told you as a kid. Food choices should contain a large nutrient-to-calorie ratio. Dr. Phil (yes that Dr. Phil) calls this “High-Response Cost, High-Yield Nutrition”. And follow this rule: Don’t eat foods with added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, but make sure to log your nutritional intake.

If you are consistent with this plan you will success at your fat loss plan this time. Make this your year to get back in shape.