Called me antiquated, but I am one of those individuals who still enjoys purchasing a fun calendar and hanging it in a place of prominence, usually on the refrigerator. This January ritual is one to which I look forward each year, as soon as the ‘holiday season” has begun. While I am not one to formally declare New Year’s resolutions, the hanging of a new calendar, with each date open to fresh possibilities, might be considered the first step on my annual road toward personal achievement.

As 2013 unfolds before us, we all have the opportunity for unlimited possibilities and accomplishments.  For many individuals, the first challenge to be conquered each January is either weight loss or increased levels of fitness and wellness. To that end, the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, based upon responses from a survey of 3,346 health and fitness professionals worldwide, recently released an article outlining the top fitness trends we can expect to see in 2013.

The highly coveted top spot on this list, for the sixth year in a row, is Educated, Certified and Experienced Fitness Professionals.  The research indicates that the number of fitness professionals in the workforce is expected to soar by 29 percent in the not-too-distant future. That is indeed good news, since the Number 2 spot on the list is Strength Training, followed closely by Body-Weight Training at Number 3.

If improvements in overall wellness made the top of your list this year, it seems as if there is no shortage of highly qualified professionals to help you meet your goals.  When embarking on a brand-new quest for fitness, enlisting the assistance of an educated fitness coach is always a good idea.  Injury prevention, nutritional guidance, and proper warm-up/cool-down techniques are essential in helping pave the way for a new lifestyle, which is a much healthier goal than simply dieting to get in shape.  Learning how to safely build a strength training program that suits your abilities and your busy lifestyle will enable you to make great strides in your quest for personal fitness and improved well-being.

If you, too, are a calendar junkie like me, be sure to mark the date that you start your new fitness plan. In this manner, you can always look back and note the precise time that you took charge of your wellness, the first New Year’s step on your road to unlimited possibilities!