The first of the year marks the end of the Holiday indulgences and for many, the start of a new beginning.  "New beginnings" often include a recommitment to get back to some sort of fitness program.  By March, 50 percent of the January rush will be back into their old, sedentary ways. By June that number shoots to 90 percent.  Here are some tips to help you avoid being a fitness statistic:

1.     Find the right time to exercise for you.  While different sources may confound otherwise, the best time of the day to exercise is the time that works for YOU.  Some people wake up in the morning ready to go.  Others take more time to get settled into the day.  Pick the part of the day that best suits you and stick with it.

2.     Make it a priority.  Whatever time you decide on, make your time to exercise "your time"… your daily present to yourself.  You deserve it… you need it.  If you've overbooked your day find something else to postpone. 

3.     Get an exercise buddy.  Whether you're going for a walk in the neighborhood or training for next year's Thunder Road Marathon an exercise buddy will keep you on track.  Getting out the door is usually the biggest daily hurdle to exercise.  There's nothing more motivating than knowing that your "buddy" is waiting.

4.     Emphasize quality over quantity.  Although it may seem that working out daily for 60 minutes or more is the best way to get fit, more intense workouts performed less often will actually produce greater results. Proper rest is critical for your body to repair itself after a good workout.  If you're still sore or tired from your last workout scale back the intensity and take it easy on yourself.

5.     Keep a log of your activities.  There's no better way to keep your exercise at a conscious level than by keeping a journal of your activities.  The real prize comes later, however, when you look back at your old workouts and realize how much progress you've made since then!

6.     Be patient with yourself.  Don't fall into the trap into thinking that you're going to get in shape in 12 days.  It probably took you months if not years to get to the condition you're in today.  Getting in shape takes time and consistency.  Enjoy the journey.

7.     Change your program.  The human body is an amazingly adaptive machine.  It won't take long before you notice that you're not "improving" anymore… you've hit a plateau and progress just isn't happening.  In order to bust through these plateaus you plan on making changes to your routine every 4-6 weeks.