Willpower is not enough! Sheer force can only accomplish so much before you wear yoursefl out. The only effective way to create lasting change is by creating a personal environment that makes it impossible to fail. Losing weight and getting in shape are perpetual New Year's Resolutions for many of us. Yet those boldly written statements end up on your list every year. Clearly, the best of intentions won't solve a thing if they are not backed up with a lifestyle that supports your changes.

If your life is set up so that it is easy to stay overweight and out of shape, then you will. No matter what our intentions, we all tend to take the easy route. Getting in shape is never going to be truly easy, but it possible to set your life up so that it is easier to get in shape than it is to stay unhealthy.

I am a fairly active person when left to my own devices, but my life is busy (as I know yours is). If I have the time and the weather is perfect I love to get enough exercise because I am hiking or gardening or doing something fun. However, I have a great excuse for not exercising.

My asthma kicks into high gear if it is hot or cold or smoggy or the pollen count is too high. That is pretty much the four seasons for most of the US. For me to succeed at exercising regularly I needed to set up my life so that it was impossible for me to avoid exercising no matter what the weather.

Here is what my life changes looked like for this problem:

Make Exercise Easy

* Put a pair of walking shoes and exercise clothes in my bedroom so I would see them first thing each morning.

* Buy used or discounted exercise tapes from thrift stores and eBay so I could exercise on days when it was hot or yucky out. (By the way, you can find some great discounted yoga, Pilates and other exercise tapes in my eBay Store http://stores.ebay.com/Compose-Your-Life_Pilates-and-Exercise?refid=store)

* Store weights and my yoga gear near the tapes and VCR.

Make Time for Exercise.

* Prepare dinner in advance a couple of times per week so I have more time after dinner for other chores.

* Explain to my husband that for my health I needed to have him take over laundry chores or cooking. He hates cooking so he chose laundry.

* Accept that laundry will be done his way and find something else to obsess about.

* Go to bed 30 minutes early so I can exercise as soon as I get out of bed in the AM.

* Turn the TV off by 9 pm so i have time to calmly prepare for the next day before bed.

* Put out clothes for AM and put keys, cell phone, briefcase, etc in one place to gain some extra time in the AM.

This may sound like a lot of planning--but the result is that my whole life runs more smoothly. I am more relaxed when I fall asleep. I am not wondering if I remembered to put those papers in the brief case or whether I have a clean shirt that matches my suit.

When I wake up in the morning I put my exercise clothes on as I get out of bed. When I am done exercising my clothes are already laid out for work. I leave the house on time because I am not stressing about my keys or running around looking for things.

All the willpower in the world won't make the difference unless you create a personal environment that makes change almost inevitable. The best part is that in addition to gaining health and freedom--you will also learn how to create positive changes in other parts of your life.

Once you understand how to create lasting change you will have the tools to create a better life by making changes in your career, your health, and your home environment, and make the life you really want.

If you have PCOS or insulin resistance, one great way to set up an environment of success is to join me for the 8 Week PCOS Bootcamp! You can learn more at http://www.pcoscoach.com/pcos_bootcamp.html