Get a Six-Pack in 7-days. What?!

"Flat abs, firm butt, killer legs! Click to read more"

"Lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks from walking"

"Get bikini ready in 30 days"

How many times do you see articles with these claims? Maybe it's in magazines, from some email mailing list you are on, or in your Facebook newsfeed.

While some tips can be positive and insightful, and often times, the 7, 21 or 30-day plans can be motivating and inspirational, the titles can bring a false or unrealistic hope of success.

Often times the message is, "do "X" and you'll get killer legs" or "do Y and you'll lose 10 pounds in two weeks."

The truth is, hitting your health and fitness goals takes work and dedication. Plus...all of us will have a different journey.

Work. This will be different for every individual. You may have a goal to lose 100 pounds; and you may be starting from a sedentary lifestyle, ordering food out everyday. If that's you, understand that your goals are going to be different than someone who exercises 4-5 days a week, eats a healthy balanced diet, and wants to improve their time for their next marathon. In the first scenario, goal #1 may simply be to walk for 10-minutes a day, everyday for a week, and not change anything else at first. In scenario #2, the first goal may be to do a planned set of sprint intervals directed at improving speed. In both of these scenarios, the goal setter will move forward toward the big goal. Guess what? Both are good!

The secret is, don't compare yourself to someone else or their goals. Your goals are your goals. Develop a game plan that makes sense for YOU, not a plan that makes sense for your co-worker, your best friend, or even your spouse.

Dedication. This is somewhat universal. To hit your goal, if it's a stretch, you are going to have to be dedicated on some level. For some it may be simple. A seasoned college athlete, who is given a new directive and workout plan by a coach, may find it simple to get the work in, because he/she already has workout slots planned during the day AND he/she is already in the mode of improving physically AND understands the benefit of doing so.

If you are new to exercise, you may not know these benefits (or you may not believe them just yet). You may not have a specific time (or dedicated hours) to workout or cook in order to hit your goals. It may take more dedication from you.

You must determine what you are willing to put in.

What you are willing to give, no matter what your neighbor, your spouse, the woman you pass running on the street everyday.

How dedicated are you to your goal?

When it comes to what we all read and see everyday from the media, or hear from our friends... use the grocery store approach. When was the last time you went in the grocery store and bought every single product that was available to you? Some products are right for you, and some aren't. Some are appealing, some aren't. Some of us love mustard, some don't.

Use the same philosophy when you are considering your health/exercise/food plan. Keep searching til you find something right for you. And then when you find it, don't get swayed by other plans that sound better or give you a false hope of quicker, immediate results.

For the last several years, I have known that I love CrossFit. While the program and interest is growing rapidly, it's not for everyone. For example, my dad, who is very active, hikes and walks all the time, has no interest in seeing what CrossFit is all about. Does that make him or I better than one another? No. It's a difference in preference. If I told my dad that he was wasting time hiking and that CrossFit was the only way to achieve health, would that make him better or worse? We are all different in our workout preferences. Don't give up til you find yours.

Use media, magazines and other articles for inspiration, but don't let them sway you from your game plan. Hook up with a partner who can give you feedback with regard to your plan and help keep you accountable to it's completion.

Keep it real when it comes to YOUR goals, where YOU are at. Don't compare your worst to someone else's best. Compare your best to where you are now. Let someone come into your life and show you how you can do more than you think you can, in the arena that you want to play in.

In health and prosperity,
Monica