"For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."   1 Timothy 4:8

Have you ever striven to accomplish something without first setting out a clear plan that you could execute? It can be frustrating to want to be successful and yet find ourselves failing. There may be many reasons why we find ourselves in such a case, but one common reason is the lack of a clear plan to accomplish the desired goal.

We all know how important it is to have goals. They provide clear direction as well as motivation to accomplish something we desire. In addition to the goal, we need to build a plan that will enable us to reach our desired end. This is where it becomes critical to look at both the long-term and short-term components of our goal.

Long-term goals are essential because it often takes a significant amount of time to achieve things. The long-term plan establishes a projected guideline and timeline. All too often though, it is easy to lose sight of a goal whose accomplishment is far into the future. This is why it is imperative that every long-term plan has short-term goals embedded within it.

Short-term goals enable us to work toward the long-term plan in reasonable pieces. They provide feedback along the way to encourage us to continue on toward the larger objective. They also give checkpoints to see whether our long-term plan is reasonable, or where it may need to be modified.

Finally, it is also important to have flexibility within the plan. It is true that some may use flexibility as an excuse for not accomplishing their goals, but hopefully for most that is not the case. In light of the fact that so many elements of our lives are beyond our control, or at least may interfere with our best laid plans, we must have contingencies in place.

Let's look at how this applies to our fitness goals. Even with the most well-devised fitness program, life doesn't always follow our plans. However, by giving thought to the things that would potentially derail our plans, we can stay on track and be fit "no matter what". We can develop not only a diet and exercise plan that will enable us to accomplish our fitness goals, but also a plan to overcome any obstacles to that success.

Here are some tips for how to prepare for and offset those things that come along:

• Move more: When you are not able to get your scheduled workout done, find ways to be more active than normal during the rest of your day. Every bit of movement and exercise can bring benefits to your life.
• Eat better: When you know that you'll be less active than planned, offset this by eating fewer calories and/or making better food choices.
• Keep track: A clear understanding of what you're actually doing and eating can lead you to make better choices. Keeping a food diary and logging your exercises and activities are two tools that lead to greater success. The knowledge of what you've actually done or not done enables you to make the choices that will keep you moving forward toward your diet and exercise goals.

The information contained herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with questions you have regarding any medical condition, and to have a comprehensive exam.