The New Year is almost here! Will this be the year you see your resolution all the way through? If you have health and fitness goals heading into the new year, the following steps will help turn your vision into reality.

Set a fitness goal

Create a specific, attainable goal that you want to accomplish. The goal can be running a 5K or a marathon, committing to attend one exercise class per week at the gym/studio, setting a PR in CrossFit, or anything that keeps you motivated to consistently workout.

Make an exercise commitment

Commit to a certain amount of time per week that you will work out. For instance, you can plan to exercise three times or a total of two total hours per week. It’s important to set realistic goals for yourself. In three months, reassess this commitment and adjust it to better fit your schedule.

Find an accountability buddy

If you know someone who is also striving to hit a fitness goal, invite them to be an accountability buddy. Have regular check-ins to make sure you’re both on track. If you don’t have any friends to hold you accountable, join a workout group or hire a coach to help you hit your goals.

Assess your current diet

Keep a food journal to make sure you’re eating smart and use our EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale to measure proper portion sizes. If you’re looking for inspiration in the kitchen, check out the recipe section on our EatSmart Blog for healthy options.

Stop eating on the fly

Are you constantly snacking on whatever is around or picking up fast food on the fly? Make a healthy eating plan for each day, even if it includes eating out. Apps like MyFitnessPal, Noom Coach and HealthyOut make meal planning easy.

Take your measurements

It’s empowering to see how improved diet and exercise change your body. Track your progress with monthly measurements of your chest, waist, upper arm and thigh. Did you know that our EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale comes with a free Body Tape Measure?

Keep track of your weight

Keeping track of your weight can provide huge motivation towards reaching your goals. Every time you step on our EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale it displays three readings: current weight, weight change from the last weigh in, and total change from the starting weight.

Stress less

Set aside a little time each day for relaxation. If it’s hard to find the time in your busy schedule, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier in the morning. Start your day with some quiet time such as a quick yoga flow or meditation. If the morning isn’t possible, try to unwind and unplug 15 minutes before bed.

Get your beauty sleep

Sleep is essential to happiness and health. Besides being cranky and tired, sleep deprivation leaves us more likely to make poor food choices or miss a workout. If you’re ready to make lifestyle changes in 2016, an action plan with specific goals will be the key to your success. As you progress through the year, create monthly checkpoints to hold yourself accountable and track your progress. Do you have New Year’s resolution success story? Tell us how you did it @EatSmartScales.