It's not that you don't want to get in shape and reap rewards of a properly executed fitness plan. You go through motions as best you can, but it's just NOT working -- and you demand to know why!

Let's take a close look at top five reasons why exercise programs fail.

Reason # 1: Failure to Clearly Identify Goals

You can’t expect to get anywhere fast if you don’t know where you’re going. Establishing goals early on in development of your regimen, will help you to pick right exercises, and routines to deliver those goals.

You might feel that spare tire you’ve been carrying around for last six or seven years is starting to look like an oversized truck tire. More than anything else, your goal is to just get rid of it, and looking like Arnold is not important to you.

Solution: Sit down with pen and paper and make a list of goals to help you get in touch with what you want from your program.

Because you've clearly identifited fat loss as your main goal, you won't waste hours at gym hoisting heavy barbells. Instead, you now focus on aerobic exercise as best way to burn fat. But you don’t skip strength training (weight lifting) altogether, you just modify way you lift, doing high reps with light weight, while resting only briefly between each set.

Reason # 2: Lack of Proper Instruction, Direction

You might have seen this guy at your local gym. He’s been training for years, spends hours working out, and yet never looks any different. If you ask him about his routine, he hasn’t a clue. He basically just wonders from one station to next, and hence, his program has little, or no effect. Worse yet, some of exercises he’s performing are actually having a negative impact on his health, possibly leading to over-training and injury.