A workout plan for the new year

I know everyone does this, but I have made a resolution to finally lose weight and get in shape this year. How should I begin? What should I eat? Should I go running, or do I have to lift weights as well?

This is a big question, so I'll address each part individually. First of all, let me congratulate you on making the effort to get in shape and adopt a healthier lifestyle. While the fitness center is inundated with people who have similar goals every year around this time, most of them don't stick with it and their numbers thin out eventually. Keeping a fitness log and setting monthly goals are great ways to stay motivated and committed. Try taking a before picture so you can compare your progress to your starting point. Anyway, the most important thing about starting up a new fitness program is staying committed. If you can do that, the rest is easy.

As far as exercising, a combination of resistance (read: weight training) and cardiovascular exercise is optimal to get in shape. If you are a beginning weightlifter, I suggest a circuit program that hits every major muscle group two to three times a week. Train the larger muscle groups first, followed by the smaller ones.

An example would be to train chest, back, and shoulders muscles first in the workout, followed by exercises that stimulate the muscles in the arms and the individual heads of the deltoids. Try not to take too long of a rest between sets (60 to 90 seconds is probably best), as shorter rest periods help keep your heart rate up and add cardiovascular benefit to your resistance training.

On days you are not lifting, you can perform 20 to 30 minutes of light intensity cardio. An important part of beginning a fitness program is making sure not to over exert yourself too quickly. In other words, don't do too much, too fast. Each workout should be no more than an hour long, as staying longer in the gym to lift weights can rapidly lead to over training and wasted effort.

The cardiovascular exercise you do, such as jogging or riding the bike or playing basketball for a half hour, should be done at a light to moderate intensity when you are first starting out. Try to keep your heart rate at around 60 to 70 percent of your maximum (the most accurate formula for determining max heart rate was found on heartmonitors.com and is as follows: 210 minus 50 percent of your age minus five percent of your body weight in pounds plus four if male or zero if female).

I will say a few things about diet. First of all, try to eat four to six smaller meals a day, instead of taking the bulk of your calories in three big meals, with periodic snacking in between. This helps keep your metabolism stimulated throughout the day, which increases energy and burns more calories. This also helps you avoid overeating during meals.

As far as what you eat, try to split up your daily consumption of calories into roughly 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent from fat. Eat complex carbohydrates (brown rice, oatmeal) and try to keep the sources of protein lean (i.e. lean beef, poultry, fish). Cut down on soda and fruit juice, as they provide empty calories from sugar. Also, calories from drinking can really add up, so try to reduce alcohol consumption. These are just general guidelines for a healthier diet.

That said, starting an exercise program for the first time is a rewarding experience. Especially in the first few weeks, results are fairly dramatic, and you should see a marked difference in your physique and energy levels. For more information on starting and staying on a fitness regimen, check out the Personalized Performance Program at the fitness center in Gantcher. You can get all the personalized fitness information you want from the trainers there.

E-mail questions to fitness@tuftsdaily.com.