We have now entered March and 20% of the year has gone. It's time to reflect on the progress of our new year's resolutions.

Are you on track with your goals? If you wanted to lose 40lbs, are you down 8lbs already? If your goal was to have done 200 workouts, are you near to completing 40? If your goals were financial, to make an extra €10,000 this year, are you on track? Have you made an extra €2,000?

It's amazing how quickly time passes by, especially for those who do not measure or quantify progress.

Peter Drucker, a management theorist and author of 31 books, says that what gets measured gets managed. In the gym it is a common sight to see people exercising with no goal in sight. I'll talk to prospective clients who have tried every weight-loss programme out there. When I ask them how things are going they'll tell me that it's great but rarely do they quantify anything.

Very few trainers, or people interested in health, actually measure their efforts. If you are following a plan to lose fat, are you actually losing fat or are you losing muscle, and I mean at a rate that is acceptable for your efforts?

I know where my progress towards my goals in training and business stand because I measure them. I have critical drivers and key performance indicators so I can continue to grow and serve clients.

Measure your results. Are you on track or does your programme need adjusting? Do you measure your body fat weekly, the weights you lifted, or the number of workouts you completed?

In life you either have a result or you have an excuse. Humanitis excusitis is a tragic disease that is rampant in society today. Top of the excuse pile is "I don't have time.” It is true that at certain stages in your life there are extra pressures that put demands on your time but that is not a reason to make excuses and abandon your training regime. If your goal is important to you, you will schedule in time to do what it takes to achieve that goal.

The next common excuse is that health and weight loss is too expensive. Getting in shape is only expensive if you are wasting money on miracle weight-loss pills, cosmetic surgery and bogus diet aids in the quest for those elusive six-pack abs. If you want to know what's really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural fresh food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor's bill and loss of earnings from work if you're sick or even worse, the heartache of your family who worry about you if you’re ill or if you are at risk of dying from heart disease.

Another excuse is the lack of support. This should not be a problem. In an era where social networking is an active part of society, with Twitter, Facebook and all sorts of fitness forums, you can have access to training partners online as well as the advice of mentors. In 2010, support partners and friends are just a click away.

The body shape of your dreams is in your hands if you choose to grasp it. The marvels of biological research have shown that the obesity epidemic has only developed over the past 50 years. Everyone has a genetic blueprint but it is when genetic predisposition meets lifestyle and environment that the genes express themselves.

If you have a family history of heart disease, is it smart to smoke, eat junk, and be a couch potato? Well of course not, and it's the same with obesity. If you have a tendency predisposing you towards obesity, you'd better be the person doing the most exercise, not the least. You'd better be the person paying the most attention to your nutrition with the healthiest lifestyle. But unfortunately it's usually the opposite.

Most people throw up their arms in frustration saying, "What's the use, I was dealt a bad hand, it's not my fault." Sorry. That excuse doesn't fly with me. If you are wearing it, at some point you ate it! So you need to change your lifestyle. Research says genetics are a factor, but a tendency is not a destiny! Genetics puts a bullet in a gun, but environment and your decision making pulls the trigger!

So as we enter the March, it's time to take stock of your efforts. Has your current return been worth the investment? Do you need to adjust and try something different? Or do you just need to work harder? 20% of the year is gone, so will you make changes today or will you wait for another 20pc of the year to pass, or 50pc and before you know it, it's 2011.

To get started you need to refine or set goals. Setting well-formed goals is the master skill of success. Goals need to be specific and in writing. An easy goal for fitness enthusiasts is just to commit to working out 4 times a week for the rest of this year. There are 168 hours in a week so the least you can commit to your own health is 4. You should also commit to three litres of water a day, three main meals a day, and a snack twice a day.

A combination of strength training and intervals are the best solution for fat loss and a drastically changed body shape. How will you prove it to yourself? Measure your body fat weekly using calibrated callipers and monitor and improve your weights or repetitions at each workout or complete your workout in a shorter time.

If you need accountability and consistency and you're sick and tired of making excuses that are as long as your arm, then call 01-2176518 or email info@bfit4life.ie to improve your health and well-being get started on a program that consistently measures your results.

Creature of Habit

What do you do every night before getting into bed? You brush your teeth. It doesn't take much thought since it is such an ingrained habit. Imagine if exercise was as much of an ingrained habit as brushing your teeth. You would quickly achieve your weight loss goal and improve your health.

Here's how to make exercise a habit:
1) Exercise at the same time each day;
2) Put it on your schedule as a must - not a maybe;
3) Log your workouts in a journal; and
4) The ultimate way to create the habit of exercise is to join one of my programs - talk about guaranteeing your success!

Quick Chicken and Veggie Bowl

This recipe serves up a refreshing new twist on chicken. Delicious veggies and chunks of tender chicken are coated in a savoury sauce, and served over wild rice. It works great as a weekday meal, since it only takes about 20 minutes to make.
Servings: 6

Here's what you need...

• 2 cups wild rice, cooked
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 sweet potato, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup mushroom, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon ginger root, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons mirin (rice cooking wine)
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups green beans, chopped
• 4 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1. In a large saucepan place the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, onion, mushroom, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl combine the mirin, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, cornstarch and red pepper. Set aside.
3. Add the green beans and chicken into the pan and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Pour the soy sauce mixture in and mix until fully incorporated. Cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Serve over wild rice.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 299 calories, 8g fat, 23g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 33g protein.