It's a new year and I am willing to bet that the most often made resolution is to lose weight! This doesn't suprise me especially after a splendid week and a half at my parents place gorging on every food item available - 6-12 pops a day, hot dogs, polish dogs, candy, pizza, mozarella cheese sticks, cinnabons, ice cream - you get the idea. I gained 15 lbs in a week and a half! This added to my already slightly chubby frame. My undergraduate work load over the past two years has left me little time to exercise. To keep this short and to the point I have made a resolution to lose the weight and get into shape. This resolution I am sure is a time honored failure for many people. They workout for a couple of weeks and then they tire or get weary of keeping the goal or become to busy to maintain it. I have a couple of motivators that are working for me to keep my goal. These are also some things to consider when making your own resolution.

1) Running, however arduous I find it, makes me feel so much better than sitting on the couch with a box of cheez-its. Try it out. I hate running. I whine like a two-year old when my wife begs me to go with her. After the run however my lungs feel refreshed and I feel revived. Try it just once! Go run for just a half mile and tell me you didn't like it! The blood is flowing!
2) Concentrating is easier in school and in my job. Being lazy is one reason I put on the pounds. This laziness carries over to school and work! Lifting weights and running will help you in these areas and you will become more successful with whatever you do! The confidence boost always helps.
3) Personal health! My wife's grandparents both just went through heart bypass surgery. This was suprising because they live an average healthy life. For your sake and your significant others (friends, family, pets, whatever!) get on that treadmill!
4) Work for a goal! Lose that 40 lbs (or whatever) and treat yourself to a cruise or a trip to the Bahamas. One reason I started this goal was to get that 'Beach Body' for a trip to Lake Powell in July!

Whatever the reason make it work and become more successful. Start out slow! There is no reason for you to start out at a 7 minute mile for 30 minutes. If it takes you a half hour to go half a mile then do it, but always push yourself a little so the next time you can do better. I started out running for 15 minutes at a 5 mile an hour pace. In a week I have moved up to 20 minutes at 6.5 miles an hour. I usually run for 2 miles. All these numbers will gradually improve! Then I go a lift some weights. Upper body one day, lower body the next. If you haven't done this in a while you will be sore. Go easy at first. If you over do it, the process will be painful and you may not want to go back :)
Start out with a lower weight and do a lot of reps to get into the groove.
I hope this helps with keeping that cliche resolution!