Attention New Year's Slackers!: Resolution Ideas

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FIVE DAYS INTO 2010 and you still haven't come up with a resolution? For next year, you might want to work on your promptness. But for now, we have three ideas you can steal that'll boost the efficiency of your workouts, keep you smiling and make sure you stay on track at least until spring.

1) Soup Up Your Warm-Up
Maybe you don't have hours of free time each day to devote to exercise, or an army of coaches to keep your body in check, but you can still work out like an athlete. Or at least, get ready for your workouts like one. And no, that doesn't mean hopping on a stationary bike for a few minutes. "That's just like plugging in. We need to boot ourselves up," says Mark Verstegen, author of the new book "Core Performance Women" (Avery), who's coached scores of big-name stars, including Brett Favre and Mia Hamm.

Instead of simple, repetitive cardio — or, even worse, static stretching — Verstegen recommends the "movement preparation" described in his book. The idea of the series is not to just build up some heat, but also to boost stability, flexibility and coordination.

Take, for example, the inverted hamstring, which starts with you standing straight and holding a chair for support. "Then you lift the right leg, almost like you're creating a T," he says. "The balance kicks in, all the muscles in the feet activate and it lengthens the hip flexor." Add in similarly challenging exercises, like knee hugs and handwalks (get in push-up position, raise your hips into downward-facing dog, walk your feet forward so you can stand, and repeat), and you have a routine that'll have your body ready for any activity. Plus, these moves give you a chance to check in with your body's asymmetries, and can tip you off to impending injuries.

2) Go the Distance
It's a cinch to run your mouth about how you're going to start jogging, but actually making your feet do the work is considerably tougher — especially during the dark, frigid days of January. That's why Bill Reifsnyder thinks a better goal is to sign up for a race. He may be a bit biased as a two-time U.S. marathon champ and the director of the National Marathon and Half Marathon, but there's no denying that an event on your calendar can keep you on track.

Reifsnyder says you're even more likely to keep moving if you join a training program, such the ones offered by local running clubs, specialty stores (including Pacers and Potomac River Running) and races themselves (unfortunately, the National Marathon program is already closed). They provide a two-fer of camaraderie and guidance in how to structure your training realistically.

"You have to build up systematically so you can do it without getting hurt and attain your goal," he explains. The general guideline is you can safely add just 10 percent to your mileage each week, and overdoing it is a quick way to get to the finish line of your running career before it ever gets started.

You'll also want to think about what else you need to add to your routine — icing or massages after workouts, enough sleep and proper nutrition, for starters. "It can seem daunting, but it's not. It's achievable for almost anybody," he says.

3) Be Your Own Tooth Fairy
Stop obsessing about your abs and butt and focus on a body part everyone's really going to notice: your smile. Maybe nothing can convince you to hit the gym, but how about spending an extra minute or two in the bathroom? Dentist Gary Ellenbogen (8100 Boone Blvd. Suite 100, Vienna; 703-873-7504) says that's all it takes to improve your not-so-pearly whites.

Start with a toothbrush check. If you're not using a Sonicare (or similar electric model), you're not getting as many good vibrations as you could be. "You can be a great brusher, but you can't be that good," says Ellenbogen, who expects you to turn on your brush at least twice a day. Each time, he also wants you to make sure you floss (he recommends Glide to cover maximum surface area) and give your tongue a back-to-front scrub. "It costs money, but you'll save money in the long run," he promises.

Not too bad, right? The harder part of his mouth makeover recommendations, however, deals with diet. Coffee is on the no-no list, and tea is even worse. Apparently, those drinks don't just stain the surface of your teeth — they get inside. But any dark colored food or beverage is naughty. "Stay away from dark chocolate," he commands. Same goes for red wine. And even though ice is fine in theory, people who chomp are in danger of breaking a tooth. He also advises his patients to stay away from frozen cookies and hard candies. "If you can suck on a fireball more power to you. Most people chew," he says.

Sorry if your jaw's hanging open now, but try to keep it that way. Ellenbogen says patients' other most common woes come from grinding their teeth at night.