How to maintain healthy New Year's resolutions

With spring break approaching, many people have a new motivation to consider resuming their New Year's resolution to live a healthy and fit lifestyle.

But for many, including athletes, it can be difficult to find the time to fit in workouts with busy schedules.

"I work out even when I'm on vacation by finding a treadmill," says Santa Monica College athlete Aaron Rogers.

"I like to do beach workouts and cardio because if you get lazy it's going to be bad because you need to be in tip-top shape for the season," says Rogers.

While many people contemplate their motivation for living healthier lives, athletes force themselves to have a routine in order to continue actively participating in sports.

"I don't know if athletes have any better habits," says SMC fitness instructor Trevor Shickman. "Generally, athletes pick up those habits because they've been doing it their whole lives."

"It's about finding a comfortable place that you can be successful in," says Shickman.

"Pretty much every diet has the same effectiveness," he says. "You can go through all of them, and statistically they all work the same."

In order to stay on track and be consistent, it takes a particular set of skills to reach your goals.

"Long-term idea of willpower is like a muscle; it's like literally working out," says NBC's "The Biggest Loser" trainer Brett Hoebel. "If you work out too much and the muscle gets fatigued, then you won't have any energy to make proper choices."

"An example would be the one currency in your body, energy," says Hoebel. "You need that physical and mental energy for willpower to make decisions when you actually don't want to do something."

But some find it easy to fall for temptation and cheat.

"There's a great pizza parlor that you love on your way home," says Hoebel. "How about finding another way to go home?"

Hoebel says the best way to motivate those who are ready to give up is "you have got to know your why."

Many that maintain consistent healthy lifestyles are not those that you would expect.

"People who are more consistent about staying in shape are typically business people, not veteran college athletes," says Equniox certified trainer Mackenzie Mollohan.

"People who are relocating want to maintain some part of their lifestyle," says Mollohan. "They want to stay strong and look good."

"The key to consistency is to make a date for your workout," Jennifer Aniston's personal yoga instructor and health trainer Mandy Ingber states in an e-mail. "Also, moderation is key."

"The funny thing is that exercise encourages people to be healthy," says Ingber. "When you know you are going to wake up early to work out, you don't go drinking the night before. And if you spent an hour working out, you consider what you put into your body more consciously because you know what it took to burn those calories."

Ingber also advises against giving up if there are no results in the first week of a new healthy routine.

"People tend to get discouraged when they don't get immediate results," says Ingber. "It's best to create short-term goals that are manageable, that one can accomplish."

"Fitness is not a goal, it's a lifestyle," she says.