How to keep your New Year's fitness resolution

I just left the gym after taking a class with about 40 people in it; the class is usually half that size. It's all the New Year's fitness resolutioners jumping in ready to go.

As a fitness professional, I welcome the resolutions. I encourage people to start now with the excitement and get moving in 2012. At the same time, I challenge YOU to be the one who is still in the class when the excitement winds down.

Here are some tips to stay the course:

1. Find something you enjoy and look forward to coming back to.

2. Put your fitness on the calendar.

3. While you're planning your exercise calendar, be sure to plan out your healthy meals, too. Many times we think that exercise is the key to getting trim and losing weight. But weight loss is 20 percent exercise and 80 percent nutrition.

Make your resolution a lifestyle change; don't just be part of the New Year's rush.

Good luck! And Happy New Year!