Congratulations on your new car! It looks great, runs well. I’m sure you’re looking forward to enjoying it for years to come; that is, if you MAINTAIN it. I’m curious, what’s your main use for it? Have you thought about how you’re going keep it running efficiently? I know it comes with a manual, but how much do you actually follow that manual? Are you regularly checking tire pressure, oil pressure, refueling with the right type of gas, driving carefully, driving economically? How about taking it to a mechanic? Do you do this on a regular basis or only when you hear a knocking, feel it slowing, or or when it breaks down?

Of course, I’m not just talking about your car. I’m also talking about your body. And much like getting a new car, you can upgrade your body if you choose to. Or maybe a tune-up is all you need.

Now you can look the other way, run that car until it breaks down while ignoring the fact that you didn’t maintain it by checking your gauges, using quality gas and seeing that mechanic other than when you had to push it to the garage… or you can be pro-active.

How about we work on being pro-active?

First, a little about me. I am a Certified Personal Trainer. I was also in the British Armed Forces… and an ex fat kid (I’m in a family of amazing cooks). My decision to increase and maintain my level of performance was based not only on job security, but also my quality of life.

Like a vehicle, your life and health are investments. So to get a good fitness plan going for yourself, it helps to sit down and put it on paper. It helps to visualize.

1. Take stock of who you are, where you’re coming from, what you want to achieve.
A bike messenger riding around the city shouldn’t be doing the same workout as someone who spends his or her day in an office, even if both have the same goal of losing weight. Their bodies burn calories differently.

2. Acknowledge what your capabilities are as well as your limitations.
Age, sex, physical limitation and medical condition must be taken into account. Before anyone starts the ‘too old’ mantra, let me say this. My oldest client was a 93-year old woman who, like many women of her generation, had never been exceptionally fit. She had osteoporosis, joint issues, and was in constant pain. Twice a week we would train and she developed an audience of gym members while she did lat pull downs, the pectoral fly machine, free-weights or rode the stationary bike. She worked out to improve her quality of life and was able to live at home her entire life as a result. We both knew we weren’t aiming for the Arnold Classic!

So, if you feel you have a long way to go to achieve fitness, just think about how to start. You will want to build a program of small, attainable steps. If simply showing up for exercise three times a week is a big deal for you, make that your initial goal. Show up, regularly, and do a mild or modest workout that doesn’t wipe you out. As this workout energizes you and improves your condition, develop another step and another. But keep the steps small enough that you keep at it. That’s the main thing right now.

If you are already pretty fit and trying to increase your aerobic fitness, but know you have a tendency to overdo, you need make a plan that challenges your lungs without injuring yourself. A month on the sidelines is not good for overall fitness.

3. Relate your workout to your lifestyle.
No one expects you to become some spandex-wearing, hand weight-carrying, strange liquid-drinking fanatic.

A new mother can walk swiftly in the park with her newborn in the stroller, or jog with her older baby in one of those jogging strollers. She might even do a few eight-pound baby curls; using both hands, of course! (Curls, and other fun stuff will be demonstrated in a future segment). If you work in an office, you may hit the gym with your friends or prefer to go alone as a way to get out frustrations with your boss, or the market, or both.

Some people want to socialize as they work out and may need the presence of others to challenge them to do more. Others don’t. Which are you? Your answer will influence where you work out and what you decide to do. For some, choosing the right time of day and days of the week can make a big difference in how easily they follow the plan they develop. Know yourself. Pick times that are likely to work for you: maybe after work, while your child is in school, or before lunch.

4. Be realistic.
Most likely, you’re not getting Beyoncé’s butt or Michael Phelps’s shoulders or abs. You can however, lose weight and build muscle as long as you burn more calories than you consume, work out regularly and eat efficiently. It’s about quality more than quantity. The era of “no pain, no gain” is long gone … we now know better and are able to train more efficiently.

5. Be creative. Use your environment.
Parks in the city chairs at home, streams in the country and never be alone. Being resourceful and creative about how you exercise is part of the fun, though you do have to be sure you are not doing something that might cause a strain. Finding a friend to work out with can make all the difference.

I have hiked and kayaked with my clients in the spring, summer and fall, skied in the winter. I have been to their home and given them a great workout using a chair and the right attitude. The right attitude also comes with the right trainer or training partner. In future installments, I’ll show you how to do your exercises correctly. This is one of the necessities of an efficient exercise program. Working with a trainer is another. You worked with a driving instructor who made you a smarter, safer driver, right?

6. Eat to succeed.
You know it, but I’ll say it again. To lose weight, calories consumed MUST BE LESS than calories burned. Relative portion control is your goal. Eat less of rather than not at all (which is good because I love cheesecake!) Just as important, is what you eat to affect proper digestion and utilization of nutrients.

Just because the temperature falls, it doesn’t mean your fitness level has to. Check your manual and adjust for the winter. Begin devising a plan you feel you can implement today. Then get started. If you’re a new driver, get in gear and moving from the stationary position.

See you on life’s highway.

Coming Next: How to break down your fitness goals so they are easily achievable.