If you are like most people, you're probably planning to get in shape and you're going to start as soon as the new year begins. In fact experts say that most new year's resolutions will include exercise and/or diet. They also say that by February, 80% of us will have given up. It's always a challenge to change your fitness habits for the better, but by following a few simple steps, you can dramatically increase your chance for success. Most people that succeed won't wait until 2018 to begin. Your best holiday gift is to start your fitness goals today. Here are five reasons why you should.

1. Experts agree, waiting until after the holidays is a recipe for failure. Begin your fitness journey today. Knowing you are going to strain yourself in a few weeks becomes a great excuse to let yourself go by eating, drinking and celebrating a little too much. The result is that your body isn't prepared for the changes you want. Your journey to fitness feels a lot like a Monday morning at work. The good news is that you can make a December fitness resolution that includes light workouts and celebrating within reason. You will feel better about yourself and your body will be ready for that awesome fitness journey you have planned for 2018. Workouts can be as simple as daily walking or you might join a fitness class at your neighborhood fitness studio. Starting now means getting ahead of procrastination and calories.

2. Beating the resolution crowd means getting personal attention from your trainers. Fitness professionals will tell you that January is the busiest month. Many people will sign up for a six month contract at a nearby gym. What they don't tell you is that 80% of those making a fitness resolution won't last the six months. More importantly December is the slowest month and for exactly this reason it is the best month to begin your fitness goal. Many neighborhood fitness studios will offer discounts during the holidays. But the price is not the reason you should join in December. You can take advantage of fewer clients to get personalized attention and fewer judgemental eyes as you might be self-conscious about your fitness level. Fitness classes will also have fewer students and you can develop a relationship with the fitness instructor. They will offer good advice on diet and injury avoidance. Best of all when the January rush begins you will be treated like a VIP and will have achieved enough basic fitness to have newbies looking up to you for inspiration. Your chance of meeting your goals has increased exponentially.

3. Developing good fitness habits before the new year will jump start your fitness goals. Experts say one of the main reasons our lofty fitness goals fall short in January is that we often have additional demands on our time. Work and family responsibilities soon take priority over our fitness goals. Although busy lives are an unavoidable part of the modern world, if you take advantage of time off during the holidays to begin your fitness routine then it will develop into good habits that fit neatly into your busy life without cluttering it more. Just two fitness classes each week or a simple workout routine each morning will feel as normal as brushing your teeth by the time the January rush begins. Also beginning a new fitness routine means muscle soreness and recuperation. By getting a headstart your new year will be a bright one.

4. Making a fitness resolution that will last means setting measurable, realistic fitness goals. If you are not a fitness professional yourself, then you are going to want a personal trainer or supportive fitness instructors to guide you in setting your goals. Many big box fitness centers are offering discount prices and keeping those prices low by providing very little guidance. The result is that more and more people are injuring themselves or performing exercises with improper technique and not seeing the kind of gains they were hoping for. Experts agree that this type of exercise can be more detrimental than helpful. Finding a good personal trainer or going to a neighborhood fitness studio with caring supportive instructors will be the best decision you make.

5. Now take a minute to imagine being in the best shape of your life. Are you ready to take the first step? Are you ready to start your fitness future today? Will this be the year that you succeed? If you make your fitness resolution today then you don't have time to come up with an excuse. When it comes to fitness we often focus on the pain to the detriment of the gain. Stop thinking about how sore your muscles are going to be and think about how great you are going to feel. While we often think our bodies need rest, what they really want is relief from the stress of our busy lives. What better way to treat your body to the best gift you can give, health and fitness. So start walking, biking or swimming today. Better yet check out the fitness oportunities in your neighborhood. Have a happy fitness journey!