Clients work out at the Kent State Student Recreation and
Wellness Center.

Only two months into 2012, many people are already struggling to keep up with their New Year’s resolution.

A “new beginning,” for most people, starts with losing weight and that’s where Romulo Vinhaes comes in. Vinhaes, a master trainer at Kent State University’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center for the past seven years, helps clients stick with their New Year’s resolutions.

“I first suggest setting a goal,” says Vinhaes. “Because you’re not going to get there tomorrow, so let’s set up several SMART goals.”

Setting SMART goals

Vinhaes suggests asking yourself the following questions when setting up fitness goals.

• Specific: What exactly do I want to achieve?
• Measurable: Am I making progress or not?
• Attainable: Is what I want within reach?
• Realistic: Can I realistically do this?
• Timely: When do I want to reach my goal weight? Set a deadline—a 5k, summer vacation, a wedding, etc.
  

For people who are constantly on the go, Vinhaes recommends staying consistent with a workout routine in order to turn it into a lifestyle and tailoring workouts to the amount of time an individual has.

“Something’s always better than nothing,” Vinhaes says. “You only have 30 minutes? No problem, go for 30 minutes. You just need consistency if you want to make it a part of your lifestyle.”

Maintaining a proper diet

In addition to setting goals, Vinhaes says not to forget about getting good nutrition.

Fast food is delicious and easy, but needs to be avoided or consumed in moderation. Vinhaes says it’s imperative to prepare your own meals because it saves time, money and is healthier. Preparing meals turns people off because it needs to be planned.

“Typically, it’s not our plan that fails. It’s our failure to plan,” says Vinhaes.

Vinhaes is commonly asked how to control proportions when there’s a delicious feast in front of you. Simply, stay with the plan, demonstrate self-control and pace yourself. Enjoy the food, don’t plow through it.

Staying motivated

Vinhaes acknowledges people often get bored with the same routine every day very quickly, but even still, there’s no excuse.

“You can have a different workout every day of the week, even if you go to the gym seven days a week,” says Vinhaes.

Bottom line, Vinhaes says to stop making excuses, start making SMART goals and stick with them. Be realistic with yourself and have a balance.

“You have to do a ‘gut-check’ to see if you really want this,” Vinhaes says. “You will be held accountable. Don’t talk yourself out of anything. A self-defeating behavior won’t work.”

For more information about Kent State’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center, its hours of operation or to schedule an appointment with a trainer like Vinhaes, visit www.kent.edu/recservices.