"I'm going to exercise every day!" "I'm going to quit junk food and eat clean starting tomorrow!" "This is the last cookie, I swear!" Does it sound familiar? If you're like most people, you probably failed to reach your fitness and weight loss goals countless times.

In fact, just eight percent of people achieve their New Year's goals, whether it's eating healthier, working out more often, or quitting smoking. Instead of feeling guilty and blaming yourself. . .

Sore muscles, aches, and fatigue are common issues after a tough workout. Sometimes, the pain is so intense that you can't hit the gym for days. Poor sleep and stress only make things worse. Luckily, there are a couple of things you can do to recover faster from training. It all comes down to what you eat.

For athletes and gym goers, post-workout nutrition is crucial. What you eat after exercise can make or break your goals. A meal rich in protein and simple carbs will boost your performance, ward off fatigue, and relieve muscle soreness.

Have you been working out for a while but you've reached a strength plateau? Sometimes it's being stuck between two weights- stronger than the 15 pound dumbbells but then the 20 pounder's are just too heavy? Or just can't seem to add weight to your squat week after week, it’s time to build up your strength.

Simple things, such as focusing on the lowering (or eccentric) phase of a movement and squeezing your muscles for a couple of seconds, can make all the difference. Warning- Weights may feel much heavier after you check out some of these strength building techniques.

Luckily, you don't have to have an exercise science degree to get the most out of your exercise tempo. Simply implement these strategies into your existing routine:

Ever wonder why most diets fail? Is it because they're too strict or expensive? Or perhaps you simply lack willpower? When it comes to dieting, the convenience factor can make or break your success.

Most weight loss plans are not sustainable in the long run. Often they're too restrictive eliminating entire categories of food. Sometimes they require purchasing special shakes or powders, occasionally everything has to be purchased through one particular company. All of these can be lumped under what we call diet "friction." This friction can drain our motivation to stick with it or even drain our energy to make other healthy choices.