By Paul Arciero, Ph.D., FACSM, FTOS

Recently, I came across this statistic: More than 60 percent of people in the United States (or, two out of three people) make New Year’s resolutions, mostly to get healthier (>85 percent), but only 8 percent are successful in achieving their resolutions!

Why is this? How can so many well-intentioned and determined people fail at such a noble, worthwhile and healthy cause? We have an abundance of easily accessible information on how to exercise, eat healthy, and manage our stress, so it’s not a result of not knowing what or how to do it. Or, is it?

In my own experience working with thousands of people of all ages, fitness levels, and health status, the most common complaint I hear on their quest to become healthier is, “I don’t know what to do or how to do it!” In other words, despite the massive amount of health information we have at our fingertips, most of us struggle to make sense of it or are unclear on what steps to take. It’s a case of “(mis)information overload” that has created confusion, frustration, and an epidemic of inaction, leading to an opposite effect of what it was designed to prevent – poor eating habits, physical inactivity, stress, and poor health.

I’ve devoted my life’s work to helping others navigate the wellness landscape in an easy-to-follow path leading to optimal health and performance. For example, I’ve developed an exercise program that is based on my scientifically proven RISE exercise protocol. I also like the name because it reminds me to get up and move! When you add in my “Protein PacingTM,” the scientifically backed eating strategy for weight loss and athletic performance, then the RISE protocol becomes the PRISE ProtocolTM.

PRISE™ is my acronym for Protein PacingTM (P); Resistance (R); Interval (I); Stretching (S); and Endurance (E) for exercise training. By incorporating these four different types of exercise, the PRISE ProtocolTM provides you benefits of each, is simple in concept, and it’s easy to make it part of your daily routine. In fact, when combined with Isagenix products, my research suggests that it can help to optimize your results.

Before you start the PRISE protocol, please follow two important steps: 1) obtain clearance from your healthcare professional to begin participating in an exercise program, and nearly all of them will be thrilled to support you on this mission, and 2) work with a healthcare professional to choose an appropriate exercise intensity to avoid injury while benefiting from the exercise.

The most common mistake people make when they begin an exercise program is exercising at the wrong intensity level. For example, some exercise too vigorously and get injured and don’t enjoy it, while others don’t push hard enough and don’t see any results. In both cases, the end result is that most of them quit! You should work with a healthcare professional to determine a proper exercise intensity while reducing the risk of injury.

Next, I encourage you to also join the IsaBody Challenge®. In fact, statistics show those who’ve joined the Challenge are four times more likely to meet their goals. That’s huge! This is not only due to the sheer motivating power of taking part in the Challenge, but also the incentives and the community that come with it. Be sure to learn more about the 16-week total body transformation challenge and register as soon as possible so that you’ll be ready in the new year.

In the athletic world, we’re accustomed to the phrase, “On your mark, get set, go!” But when it comes to your health, I say your health cannot wait. Many of us wait too long before we ever start a healthy lifestyle regimen. Instead, I say “On your mark, go!” Don’t wait until everything is perfect in your life, which is usually never, and just start your race toward a healthy lifestyle today! With the combination of the PRISE ProtocolTM and the IsaBody Challenge, let’s beat the statistics and start moving toward meeting your health resolutions now.

Protein PacingTM and the PRISE ProtocolTM are currently under trademark registration by Dr. Paul Arciero. Dr. Arciero is a member of the Isagenix Scientific Advisory Board.