To be successful your plan has to reflect your own individual needs and abilities.

Begin by writing down the changes you want to make. Start with the big picture items, like ‘lose weight’, ‘have more energy’ or ‘get fit’. These aren’t specific goals in themselves, but will help you create the strategies you need to get where you want to go.

Under each change you want to make, nominate the results that will tell you when you’ve reached what you set out to achieve. Don’t worry about putting time limits on these results; if you want to lose twenty kilos then make that one of your goals.

When creating goals, be realistic. Our bodies change over time, and you may never fit into something you wore fifteen years ago. Your level of fitness will also be affected by several factors. A goal is not a wish; it’s a target you’re aiming for.

Now plot a strategy to reach each of your goals. Relate each strategy to your abilities, your lifestyle and your daily schedule. For example, if you want to increase your fitness but haven’t exercised in years, plan a program that starts off with walking and other forms of light exercise then gradually builds up to more demanding levels.

Try to schedule your new healthy activities for the same time each day. This way they become part of your routine and don’t require juggling the other elements in your schedule.

If you want to lose weight but think you’ll find it impossible to give up sugar in your tea or coffee, plan to use an artificial sweetener or gradually cut down on the sugar you put into each cup. The best and longest-lasting changes happen over time.

Speaking of time, make sure you can dedicate enough time in each day to fulfilling your plan. You may not think changing your diet will take any extra time but you’ll soon find that planning healthier meals and avoiding fatty takeaway foods does require a bit more thought and preparation.

When you’ve completed your plan and are satisfied that your goals are realistic and that your strategies will enable you to achieve them, see your GP for a physical checkup and a review of the elements of your plan.

Your doctor will tell you if your plan is practical and can help you set realistic timelines for each phase of your strategies. You may also find that you need to add a new goal or two to your plan such as ‘reduce my cholesterol level’ or ‘lower my blood pressure’.

Your journey to better health begins with creating a plan to achieve it. There’s an old saying that ‘those who fail to plan are planning to fail’.  Do your planning well and you’ll enjoy the results.