ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, SportsKeeping Resolutions

Lots of people make New Year's resolutions for things like losing weight and giving up smoking; but, keeping those resolutions takes a bit of planning.

The first rule of thumb-- be specific.

Don't just say you want to lose weight-- set a very specific goal..

Second, be realistic about what you can accomplish.

It's very hard for people to lose 100 pounds in a year, so set your goal a little lower..

Next, you need a plan . If you want to slim down and get fit, you might set a goal of working out three days a week and decreasing portion sizes.

And you also need to set short-term goals along the way