The New Year is upon us. Resolutions have been made and resolutions have already been broken. This is the time of year that fitness centers see loads of new members scurry in. These new members have weight loss dreams, but little knowledge of how to safely achieve their goal. Many who started this New Year with fat loss dreams will end up frustrated. Many will quit altogether within one month.

Permanent weight loss is absolutely possible with a little planning. Frustration and failure are easy to avoid when weight loss seekers have a doable and effective plan of action. The secret to fat loss lies in the planning and execution of the goal.

A weight loss plan of action should consist of a chain of events that eventually leads to a healthy and toned body. It is a series of milestones designed to push the body beyond its daily tasks. The plan would open with a mission statement and close with the specific details. The plan of action would include a starting and ending date. The goals would be finite and measurable. A weight loss plan of action would answer the who, what, when, where and why.

Many people make a resolution to lose weight. They may go as far as join a gym. 90% stop there. The other 10% have planned adequately and will succeed with their goals. Their specific fat loss plan of action may have looked something like this:

"I want to drop 10 pounds of body fat. I will begin this program today and it will end exactly two months from now. If I feel like giving up I will seek the guidance of a personal trainer and/or nutritionist. I will also remember why I want to drop 10 pounds of body fat. My reasons are that I want to feel great. I want to feel secure, healthy, happy and beautiful.

I plan to drop 10 pounds of body fat within two months by starting a cardio and strength training routine 6 days per week. My specific workout routine will be to do a full body strength training routine on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I will do 15-45 minutes of cardio each day except Sunday. I will end each workout session by stretching.

I also plan to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Each meal will consist of a lean protein and a complex carbohydrate. I will drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day. Sugar will be limited. Caffeine will be eliminated, but I will allow my morning cup of coffee.

I realize this task is hard, but that it is absolutely possible. I will succeed. I have prepared and am totally invested in my health. I will read this plan of action two times per day and stick to it."

The above fat loss plan of action is a road map to success. It describes the person's goal, it details how the person will achieve their goal and it explains what the person will do when she faces roadblocks.

The new year is a wonderful time to set intentions. Weight loss is the direct result of planning and execution. Ensuring success is simple when a plan of action is created. It gives purpose and definition. It can literally be the difference between realizing a fat loss dream or reliving the weight gain nightmare so many people experience each year.