It’s that time of year again when most of us feel inspired to make positive changes to our lives and start the New Year afresh, but many of us will be unsuccessful for any length of time.

– Writers' choice: A year of epic encounters and feelgood finals
– Lifestyler with Josie McKenlay: Virtual Health & Fitness

The main reason for this is lack of planning. We decide that we want to change something about our lives, but fail to do what is necessary to implement it or even consider whether or not we are truly ready, willing or committed to make the idea a reality.

For example, I often have very short relationships with clients who want to lose weight, get fit, improve their diet or relieve back pain, but simply aren’t ready or willing to make the necessary changes to their lives.

Throughout January I am devoting my Lifestyler column to helping you draw up a plan that will help you succeed and reach your health and fitness goals for 2015. This week consists of a questionnaire that will help you see if you are able to make the important changes to your lifestyle to ensure success.

1. Can you accept responsibility for the way your body is today and understand that, while your old habits don’t make you a bad person, they still need to be changed? It is important to understand your lifestyle choices made you fat, unfit and unhealthy – it didn’t just happen.

2. If someone told you that you’d need to throw away all the foods in your cupboards today and go shopping for different foods that are more appropriate to your goal, would you do it? One of my most successful relationships with a client was when I told her she should go straight home and throw away all crisps, biscuits, cakes and sodas.

She did it that very day and transformed not just her health but that of her family too.

3. If an expert presents some information on diet and exercise that contradicts what you currently believe, can you have an open mind and at least try it for a long enough period to see results? I hear the most fantastic miracle quick fixes in my classes, but when I suggest the simple formula of healthy diet and moderate exercise for the rest of their lives, it’s not nearly so interesting or believable.

4. If a friend or loved one suggests that you don’t have what it takes to get into great shape because you’ve failed before or for some other reason, what will be your response? It’s vital that you understand people’s motives for such comments: quite often it’s because your good intentions bring them face to face with their own bad habits.

5. Are you ready to spend less time with people who offer little or no social support for your goals while spending more time with those who do offer support? Necessary if they are like those mentioned in 4.

6. Are you willing to wake up in the morning a bit earlier and stay up at night a bit later to accomplish your goals?

7. Are you willing to slowly work up to five hours of physical activity each week?

8. Are you willing to take the time to draw up a 12 month plan rather than think in the short term? That’s what my January column is all about.

Next time: Fail to plan, plan to fail