Keep your money in your pocket this year and still reach your personal weight loss and health goals!

OK, this year I didn’t officially make a New Year’s Resolution. Even though in the back of my mind I knew I wasn’t going to let myself off that easily. And it seems that I have everything I would need to get back into my favorite Yoga routines; Workout DVDs, blocks, straps, mat and 3 or 4 wonderfully peaceful, stretchy, ohm inducing Yoga outfits. And here I sit…..eight days into 2012 and I haven’t completed one Sun Salutation, Downward Dog or Warrior Pose.

So what’s the problem? If we have the desire why can’t we seem to get enough of those necessities that instigate success and propel us forward like drive, determination, finances, time, etc.? It would be great if we could buy “determination” at the convenience store on the way home from work, or grab some “time” out of the refrigerator. But since that isn’t an option, we’re going to have to find some tools to help us develop these abilities.

Here are a few ideas and items that I found in my search to learn how to turn desires into actual change without paying for it:

1. Surround yourself with like minded folks. Active.com has this item on their 10 Commandments of New Year’s Resolutions: Connect. People that move together evolve together. Also Check out Weightlosswars for a FREE community to encourage and be encouraged.

2. Make a Vision Board. Cut out pictures, words, phrases and quotes that can help motivate you says astonefitness.com in “Rethink your Resolution”!

3. Don’t run out and buy an exercise machine or a year membership at the gym. As Lisa describes in her article “Rewrite Those New Year’s Resolutions”: “Take a little time and find out what works for you or what pieces of equipment you enjoy using” before you make an investment.

4. There are lots of ways to make weights from common household items. WikiHow has ideas such as how to make a cheap kettlebell using a milk or juice jug or create a wrist weight from socks and dried beans.

5. Tap into what you already have. There are exercise programs on TV that are already paid for via your monthly cable or satellite TV bill. LiveStrong.com has a comprehensive list of what stations and shows are available on their Workout TV Programs page. These include Fitness TV, Exercise TV and Discovery Fit and Health.

Good Luck! We would love to hear your comments or ideas!

Have you drafted up your New Year’s Resolution list yet?  Yesterday, some helpful advise was dispersed on how to not set yourself up for failure.  In a nutshell, don’t set the bar too high and keep your mind set at getting on the right track and staying there.  After all, the whole point of New Year’s Resolutions is to improve our life and better ourselves.  That’s a lifelong process and, more than likely, won’t be accomplished in a year’s time.  There is always room for improvement.

Whether you’ve opted to lose some excess weight, get into shape, quit smoking, get organized, get a grip on your finances or tip toe back into the world of dating, you’ll probably need to accessorize yourself with a few resources and tools.  The most important thing you can remember is to create an environment and have everything you need to help you get on track, stay on track and to eventually succeed.  If this means a new pair of sneakers,  software, storage organizers or nicotine patches, than so be it.  We’re here to help.

Weight Loss – In a year and a half I’ve managed to lose almost 100 pounds.  After over a decade of novelty diets and pills, it’s fair to say I can dish out a few tidbits of advice.  The first is that there is no pill, drink or shake that is going to transform your body into a Victoria Secret model.  You may see immediate results like a 5 pound decrease in weight within a week, but trust me, it’s water weight.  The second is you need to stop using the word diet.  A diet is a temporary thing.  People diet so they can lose 10 or so pounds in a short period of time to fit into a wedding dress.  If losing weight and keeping it off is your ultimate goal than you’re going to have to make some lifestyle changes.  My number one choice for getting started, resources, and support (both online and meetings) is Weight Watchers.  This program works because it’s not a diet.  You’ll learn how to live right, eat healthy and be active.  For a limited time save $29.95 on Weight Watchers online with their 3 month savings plan.  Make sure to click on the coupon here to activate your savings.  To stock up on healthy snacks, my favorite is Vitalicious.  These yummy snacks (muffins, brownies, muffin tops, buns, sandwiches and mixes) are jam packed with vitamins and minerals.  Enjoy some money saving Vitalicious coupons here.

Quit Smoking – Kicking the habit is no easy task and it will be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but there are more products out there now than there ever was.  Your chances on quitting this habit is greater now than it was 20 years ago when there wasn’t gum, patches, and other stop smoking products.  For a limited time, Drugstore.com is offering 20% off select Nicoderm CQ items.  Check out their entire selection of stop smoking products here and enjoy savings including 30% off Habitrol Nicotine Transdermal System, 20% off Nicorette Stop Smoking Lozenges and 20% off Nicorette Gum.  Soap.com is another great place to save on smoking cessation products.  If you’re a new customer enjoy 20% off your entire order with code NEWYEAR20 (expires 1/11) and shipping is free on all orders of $35 or more.

Getting Organized – Whether it’s your office desk or an entire room or house, getting organized can be a tedious and very time consuming task.  I spend 12-18 hours a day at my desk and keeping my office area organized is a must.  Organizing any room in your home is a cinch when you shop at Get Organized.  This store has everything you need including bathroom organizers, closet organizers, garage organizers, kitchen storage solutions, media storage, outdoor storage, shelf organizers and much more.  Enjoy discounts up to 90% off and shipping is only $4.95 on all orders.  Use code GETORGNZ and save an extra 10% off your entire order through 1/03.  Organize is another super place to scoop up some items to make your quest for organization achievable.  During the January White Sale you can save 20% off over 2,000 items.  Check out their deal of the day and you can save up to 85% off.  They offer affordable storage solutions under $10.

Fitness – Along with my goal to get down to my ideal weight, I wanted to get into shape as well.  This was no easy task.  I sit at a desk all day and most of the night.  During the cold weather months I got very little, if any, exercise.  I ended up purchasing an elliptical machine from Workout Warehouse.  The prices are reasonable and shipping is free if you pay in full.  They have a huge selection of fitness equipment including treadmills, elliptical machines, riders, skiers, steppers, and exercise bikes.  Most of their equipment is on sale so now is the time to buy.  Sears is another great pick and for a limited time you can save up to 40% on all fitness equipment.  Save $500 on the NordicTrack E7.1 Elliptical trainer or $1000 on the NordicTrack X91 Incline Trainer.  Walmart is kicking it up and you can find top values for healthy living during their Get Back on Track Sale.  Shop exercise machines, fitness apparel, strength and weight training and more.

Finances – Keep coming up short and losing grip on where you’re spending your money?  The first thing to be aware of are spending holes that are costing you big bucks.  Read about some of the most common spending holes and what you can do to avoid them.  The second thing you need to do is keep track of your bills and spending.  You can do this the old fashioned way with a pencil and an accounting book or you can purchase some software to help you out.  I’m a fan of both.  Most people I know who opt for the software have gone with Quicken.  With Quicken you can see where your money goes, manage bills and payments, create a budget and plan and stay on top of your bills.

Dating – Okay, so you’ve been single for a while and avoiding the entire social scene all together.  Maybe you don’t have time to get out or you’re shy.  Whatever the reason is, there are options to get back into the social world.  Before you sign up for any online dating site, please read a short article about online dating safety tips.  Always remember, safety first.  Next, do your research.  Find the best site for you.  There are several sites that offer some perks.  Chemistry.com will give you three months for the price of 1 and a free trial period.  At Match.com you’ll receive 15% off when you subscribe.  Choose Perfect Match and your compatibility test is free.

Don’t forget to check out the latest and greatest New Year’s Resolutions Sales, Deals and Coupons here!  We’d love to hear what’s on your list and keep us posted on your progress!

The last few days of 2011 are here and that means one thing for the majority of us…New Year’s Resolutions.  We’re making our lists of everything we want to accomplish in 2012.  From losing weight to quitting smoking, it’s on the list.  And, more than likely, by February at some point, the list is forgotten.  We fall off the wagon.  The frustrations build.  The treadmill becomes a pricey coat rack.  The Atkins bars get pushed behind the Lucky Charms.  Our trips to the gym become less frequent.  Finally, we throw our hands up and say, “There is always 2013.” 

Why does this happen?  Are we lacking willpower and self discipline?  None of us want to become a statistic and we set these goals to improve our health, better ourselves and improve our lives.  That’s important to us.  So, why are we failing?  Why are we falling off the wagon a month or two after an abundance of determination and strict regimens?  It’s simple.  We set the bar too high and, in return, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.  I speak from experience.

I used to be a die hard New Year’s Resolution fanatic.  My list was long and quite ambitious.  Lose weight, quit smoking, get organized, etc…  There was no room for error or off days.  It was etched in granite what was going to happen.  Black and white.  And, like so many others, it ended in epic failure.  Then, a few years ago, after reading this amazing article, I approached the entire resolution thing with a different attitude and frame of mind.  For the first time in my life, by the time the year ended, I was on the right path and in the right direction.

Here are 5 things to keep in mind when you sit down and write out your list of New Year’s Resolutions…from experience, it works.

1.  Stay away from final results.  For example, if losing weight is on your list, don’t write, “Lose 50 pounds” or “Lose 3 pounds a week.”  You are leaving no room for error, circumstances or life in general.  Rewrite it a bit as, “Lose weight.”  By the end of the year, if you’ve lost 40 pounds, that’s success.  It may not be the 50 pounds you wanted, but you lost most of it.  You succeeded. A year and a half ago I wanted to get down to my goal weight by the end of the year.  That didn’t happen, but so far, I’m a few pounds away from losing 100 pounds.  I feel great and I know eventually I’ll get to that finish line.

2.  Take it day by day.  Too often, when we fall off the wagon, we throw up our hands and give up.  We had a couple of bad days and had a love affair with cheesecake and Starbucks Java Chip ice cream.  So, that blows the entire year, right?  Wrong.  You had a bad couple of days.  Tomorrow is a new day and a chance to get back on track.  A new beginning.  A couple days of falling off the wagon doesn’t mean you can’t start over until January 1st of 2013.  It means start over tomorrow.

3.  If getting in shape made your list, wait before you purchase a one year gym membership or equipment for your home.  It’s hard enough digging up the motivation to work out, but nothing is more deterring than having to go to a gym we hate or using a piece of equipment that isn’t comfortable.  Take a little time and find out what works for you or what pieces of equipment you enjoy using.  You might discover that making it to the gym isn’t feasible and purchasing a treadmill is the way to go.  You might find working out at home boring and opt for a gym environment.  If you’ve already spent $2000 on home equipment, that might put you in a little pickle.  Try before you buy.

4.  Ease up on yourself.  You didn’t gain the weight overnight so it’s not going to come off overnight.  You’ll hit plateaus.  If walking up a hill leaves you winded, more than likely, you won’t be running a marathon next month.  A 20 year bout with smoking might take a few tries before you kick the habit completely.   It’s all about pacing yourself, taking small steps and heading in the right direction.  Don’t focus on how many more pounds you have to lose…it’s about how much you’ve lost.  Don’t compare yourself to those that can run 30 miles.  Focus on the mile that you can run today that you weren’t able to run a month ago.

5.  Celebrate your accomplishments.  If you’ve lost 10 pounds you should be very proud of yourself.  Treat yourself to a little something.  Be good to yourself.  I remember when I hit the 50 pound mark and treated myself to a trip to the salon for some blond foils and a trim.  I felt like a million bucks afterwards.  If you can run 5 miles around the track, buy a new pair of running sneakers to celebrate.  Celebrating your accomplishments will boost your confidence and keep you in the right direction.

Keep these things in mind when composing your list this year.  Change your attitude and frame of mind.  Loosen up a bit and make your goals achievable without setting yourself up for failure.  It works.  I’m proof.

Check back tomorrow for some really great deals and coupons on everything you’ll need to get on the right path and stay there!

With the pomp and circumstance of another year passing it is only natural that one’s thoughts turn to the upcoming year and how it can be better. With equal parts reflection and projection, we think about the previous year’s successes and failures as well as looking ahead to the New Year’s possibilities.

For me, 2009 brings an extra degree of soul-searching as it marks the year that I will have spent 30 years on this earth. It is hard, at the end of a decade, not to devote a sizable (some might say, unhealthy) amount of your attention to where you’ve been, where you are and where you are going.

Of course, the New Year’s resolution is not a new concept and many of you will, like me, make the beginning of 2009 a chance to redirect your efforts to make the New Year a more successful one than the last. I narrowed my list down to three areas that I want to improve this year.

As I have looked into ways to attack them, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that they won’t require quite the financial investment that I originally thought. Here are the areas I’m going to focus on this year.

Reduce my debt: Like any good American, I have managed to accrue a bit of credit card debt and this year is the year I’ve designated to get this under control. CreditCards.com is a great Web site for finding and comparing credit card offers.

Instead of waiting for a “0 percent APR on Balance Transfers” offer to come in the mail, using this can help you get a jump and get the best information out there.

Lose Weight and Get in Shape: OK, so I don’t get any points for originality here, but like the man said, “Clichés are clichés for a reason.” I definitely need to find a way to lose some weight and work some exercise into my schedule.

Then comes the decision of whether to go the diet route, get a gym membership, or, perhaps, both. Fortunately, both options become more affordable if you do some digging. Weight Watchers is almost always running specials online or there are coupons available which can, at the very least, ease your financial investment as you introduce yourself to portion control.

Similarly, gyms such as 24-hour Fitness have coupons for free two-week guest passes as well as dollar off 90-day membership coupons. Even if you are staying out of the gym but are planning on doing something like running, a new pair of running shoes (which can run you close to $100) are a great buy this time of year as stores try to liquidate their remaining holiday inventory.

It’s never going to be cheap to get yourself in shape, but you can lessen the impact to your wallet while you are starting out so that, by the time you are starting to see results, you won’t mind paying a little bit more to keep it going.

Get Organized: I always envied the people in high school and college who made diligent use of their calendars and organizers while I was left searching for a syllabus in my backpack, which looked like I’d emptied a waste basket into it. As such, time management and organization are skills I never really mastered.

Now that I’m 30 and can no longer deny that adulthood has found me (no matter how hard I tried to hide), keeping myself organized is much more important. BlackBerrys, which are synced up to Outlook and organizers from stores such as Franklin Covey are getting much cheaper these days. Office supplies are getting the end of year treatment as well.

Here’s wishing everyone a happy new year and success in keeping your resolutions, whatever they may be!

Dylan Biles is a moderator and bargain-hunter for DealTaker.com, an online shopping Web site owned by Media General.