Just in time to get your head around your workout plan for the New Year! Take advantage of this opportunity to ask me anything you want about your exercise routine.

Call in with your questions and comments to 877-NYU-DOCS this Wednesday, January 16 from 8-9 am ET when I appear live on Sirius XM's Dr. Radio show.

I'll share all the insider tips that I've learned over the past 25 years as a fitness professional and answer questions such as:

• How do you define your goals in an exercise program?
• How much exercise do you have to do to reach your goals?
• What results can you realistically expect within 8-12 weeks?
• What can you do about post-holiday weight gain and belly fat?
• Are you having trouble getting back on track?

Host Dr. Marina Kurian sparks a lively dialogue in her show and engages her audience with humor and personal insight. I'm always delighted to appear with her! Catch us live this week:

LISTEN LIVE: Dr. Radio Show
DATE: Wednesday, January 16
TIME: 8:00-9:00 am ET
LOCATION: Sirius XM Radio Channel.81
Call in with questions/comments: 877-NYU-DOCS

The law of attraction may not be the key when it comes to the psychology of choosing the best workout buddy.   Personality and temperament go a long way in finding a compatible exercise partner, but the traits can be very different from those you cherish in your romantic partner or best friend.

Rather than following your heart, use a common sense strategy. What works for you is as unique as your own personality, your personal likes and dislikes, your goals in an exercise program and your individual resources - such as your available time, money and space. To find a good match in a workout partner, look for someone who has similar orientation as you. What are your personal preferences? Do you prefer to work out in the morning or evening? Indoors or outdoors? At home or in a gym?

For some of the personality characteristics you might want to consider in picking a workout buddy, read my comments in Linda Wasmer Andrews blog "Minding the Body: The guide to health and happiness". 

Post: "Eight Traits of the Perfect Workout Partner:
Fitness experts share tips on finding the right exercise buddy"

Time to get going on your fitness program!  If you're thinking about lifting some weights at home or getting back into the gym, take note of a few strength training "Don't's", beginning with "Don't wait to get started!"

1)         Don't start off too fast or increase too soon because you'll risk muscle soreness and strain.   Do start easy and increase the amount of weight gradually.

2)         Don't set unrealistic goals.  People often become disillusioned and quit exercising when they can't meet the goals they've set.   Do start with a simple exercise plan on which you can build, and which will provide incentive for progressing.

3)         Don't only use seated weight machines that support your body, since they allow the core muscles to be a little "lazy." Do incorporate free weights into your program, since they require you to stabilize using your own core strength.

4)         Don't imitate other people in the gym, assuming that they know what they're doing because often they do not!  Do get some professional advice regarding how to properly perform strength training exercises.

5)         Don't use the scale to gauge the changes in your body because the scale cannot differentiate between fat pounds and muscle pounds.  Do measure yourself by the way your clothing fits – a favorite pair of jeans can be the perfect gauge. Changes that occur with weight training are reflected in your body composition, which is the quality of your weight as opposed to the quantity of your weight.  As you develop lean body mass and shape up, your contours may literally be shrinking even though the needle on the scale doesn't move.

What is it that makes some people have the resolve to eat right and exercise, while others are continually challenged?  Is it a personality characteristic or can we train ourselves by developing the right mind-set?

I like to think that we can strengthen our resolve with mental training.  We are able to develop a hardy attitude and perseverance to overcome obstacles and take on new challenges.  When we are using our mental muscle, we don't allow fatigue, inconvenience or apathy to discourage us from achieving our goals. 

The New Year is the traditional time to take stock and re-evaluate.  Compare your level of physical fitness to where you were a year ago at this time.  How are you doing?  Have you been able to maintain your weight or have the pounds been creeping up?  Do you have the same stamina and energy you had or is the couch looking more inviting?  When you wake up in the morning, do you spring out of bed or do you have to slowly ease the stiffness out of your body?

 I'm so proud of my husband's resolve to lose weight.  He's lost 23#'s since last July and he lost it very gradually simply by giving up desserts and continuing his normal exercise routine of running and performing calisthenics (push-ups, planks, and crunches).   He knew that desserts were a weakness of his and if he even had one bite, he would eat the whole thing.  So he went cold turkey – walked away from the table when desserts were served at Thanksgiving dinner, politely refused to taste a home made truffle his friend had made and did not indulge in our sister's incredible gourmet desserts at Christmas.

Think ahead:  how will you feel in a month if you continue your present habits?  Exercise your mental muscle to stay rested, eat one less dessert or one less bite, and take an extra 2000 steps every day, even if it's indoors at the mall.

Have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!!

How do fit people stay in shape when life intervenes?  Inevitably there are times for all of us when the best laid plans go by the wayside.  For me personally, it happened with the recent cold snap in the northeast.  A housecat at heart, I just couldn't bring myself to bundle up and brave the deep freeze for my weekly runs.

What to do instead?  I resumed my normal routine of walking everywhere during the course of the day.  This is very manageable for me.  It just means allowing time in between appointments and dressing in layers, so I can be comfortable outdoors and then shed a layer or two inside.

When I down shift my cardio, I also carefully watch my food intake, monitoring my portions and eating healthy snacks when I feel hungry. I need to keep a steady flow of glucose going to the brain or I suffer by becoming distracted and irritable.  An occasional cookie or bite of chocolate is definitely part of the program, but never to excess.

I'm a big believer in weighing and usually jump on the scale first thing every morning.  My weight is normally very steady and doesn't fluctuate much, so if it goes up two pounds, I make sure to take it right off.  Staying on track is really important to me and is so much easier than having to take off a significant weight gain. 

We have a friend we call "Major Project" because he once said he was facing a major dieting project to lose ten pounds.  It's so much easier to stay in shape than to get in shape. That's real "food for thought"!

Do you have a game plan to keep you in shape over this holiday season?  Personally, I'm approaching the holidays head on.  I love running, and more than that, I love the benefits of running!  It's a very efficient way to burn calories and it definitely keeps a glow on my face.  My plan is to schedule 30-minute runs at least three or four times a week.

My husband is determined to keep the pounds off, so he's really watching what he eats.  Yesterday at Thanksgiving dinner, he walked away from the table when dessert was served and went in the other room to watch football. This morning he was gratified that he hadn't gained any weight.

The most important tactic is to develop a mind-set now about how you're going to deal with this hectic time of year.  Create specific, measurable goals, for example accumulating 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week; doing bodyweight exercises like push ups, squats and crunches every other day and five minutes of stretching every day.   Put your plan into action one week at a time. If you get derailed, regroup and get back on track. 

There are five weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's, and the way you take charge of your body now determines whether you greet 2011 on your game or in need of remedial fitness training! 

Happy Thanksgiving!