It's 2011! Not only is it a new year, but it is also the beginning of a new decade. So why not add more significance to your new year resolution by calling it your new decade resolution? It may be a lofty goal, especially considering most people's new year's resolutions don't pan out.

All things, good and bad, are habitual for the most part. So why not build a 10-year long-term plan while you prepare your one-year foundation? We all have to start somewhere, and our fitness is no exception.

As always, "getting fit" is at the top of many individuals' plans for the new year. The problem is, many people quit before March rolls around. How are these people going to build a long-term healthy lifestyle if they can't even manage for their first year? Most of the issues stem from one simple thing: self-motivation.

People are motivated to go to work because they love their jobs, they need the money or a combination of the two. People don't always go to the gym because at the end of the day, there is nothing that forces us to do so. If you skip work, you could lose your job. If you skip the gym, you lose out on health benefits. Everybody needs money; unfortunately, not everyone realizes that they need the health benefits of exercise as well. This is one of the main differences in terms of self-motivation.

How do you get motivated to train your body? Let's take the month of December, for starters. Many of us have gained a few pounds over the holidays and none of us should feel guilty about it because it was Christmas time! Fortunately, the winter weight gain alone is enough to kick-start many people into gear because they want to get back to their typical form. Losing a few extra pounds isn't always enough motivation, and it may take a little more self-trickery to get certain personality types into the gym.

Many of you got some great gifts for Christmas that you could use to your advantage. Load up your favourite playlist on your new iPod to keep you going those extra 10 minutes on the treadmill. Tighten up those fancy new kicks you got and put them to use in a gymnasium or squash court. Maybe you're one of the millions of females who got new lululemon apparel and you can't wait to show it off. (Who invented lululemon, anyhow? God bless him or her.)

The point is only you know yourself and what makes you tick. It might be as simple as finding a consistent workout partner to keep you on track. Maybe your exboyfriend or girlfriend called you fat before dumping you and you want to show him or her who's boss. Better yet, maybe you've come to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how it will affect you and your long-term life. Oh, I almost forgot: it will also improve your overall job performance, which could lead to a better job, a big promotion and a lot of money. See how I tied in exercise motivation with work motivation? Neat, huh?

Nobody is going to force you to exercise. So use whatever selfmotivators you need to keep you on the right track.

Here's to a healthy, happy and successful 2011!