Yes it is possible to lose weight this year

Every New Year, there's a stampede of chunky, heavy-breathing folks with brand new shoes jamming their big butts into local gyms. And one by one by one, they disappear, as their McDonald's-loving ways or life's many demands suck them back in.

I'm no good at math, but it's pretty simple -- if you work 50 hours a week, go to school part-time, and try to maintain a social life, you're not going to be able to wedge in a full-tilt, 5-day-a-week workout schedule.

Linus Bolden, a personal trainer out of Philadelphia Sports Club in Cherry Hill, said you need to figure out some things before you sign up.

"You've got to ask yourself, "What was preventing me from coming to the gym before this," he said.

"I ask people what they do for a living and what their everyday life is like."

If motivation is your only problem, Bolden can whip you into shape. If your band is playing 'til 3 a.m. or your boss is going to need you to come in on Saturday, you've got to make adjustments.
"A lot of times, things will come up and people will just say, "That's life.' They'll say this is life, and they'll throw the gym out the window," he said.

Fitness, Bolden said, isn't just working out in a gym either.

"Fitness is an entire lifestyle," he said.

Here's a tips for getting fit, or least getting started.

1. Be realistic, says Bolden. "You didn't gain all this weight in one year. You've got weight on them that you've gained over a lifetime. It's going to take a little while to get it off."

2. Don't micro-manage your weight-loss. Impulse editor Margarita Venegas lost 20 pounds throughout 2005, one thing that helped keep her motivated was weighing herself only monthly -- that way you're not getting disappointed when you don't see a difference in your weight each day.

3. Don't diet, eat better, Bolden said. "You need a balanced diet of protein, carbs and fat in six, small meals throughout the day. You can have some treats on the weekend, but you should be consistent during the week." Margarita adds that even though her schedule was unrealistic for eating six small meals a day, she did bring carrot sticks and healthy snacks to work to keep her appetite at a manageable level throughout the day -- she also made lunches the night before so she wasn't stuck running to McDonald's each afternoon.

4. Be flexible. "If you're getting to the gym three days a week don't be too strict as to what days they are," Bolden said. "Just get there." And, Margarita adds, a little work out goes a long way. When she started working out, she could barely run a half mile and her arms ached for weeks lifting weights. Now, she runs three miles and can lift a whopping 40 pounds.

5. Get help. Margarita used a personal trainer at the YMCA for three months. The prices there were cheaper than trainers at other gyms, she said. If you want to pay Linus to give you more tips, contact him at wickedskillz@comcast.net.