By AMY PASSARETTI
Elmore County Living Editor
A lot of people set their New Year’s Resolutions to be something involving losing weight. Whether it’s to eat better or work out more, everyone wants to shed a few pounds. But it’s a combination of both that actually seems to work best and keeps those pounds off for the longterm.
“Fitness can be beautiful,” said Cara Tidwell, fitness and wellness coordinator at Total Fitness in Alexander City.
To maintain a healthy workout regimen, it’s best to start small, according to Total Fitness fitness specialist Amy Jones. Even just 10 minutes of walking will help, she said.
“If you feel like you can’t devote a large chunk of time to working out, find 10 minutes earlier in the day and then another two sets of 10 minutes throughout your day,” Jones said. “It makes it more manageable. The No. 1 goal is to keep moving.”
Even daily activities such as sweeping, mopping, gardening and playing basketball with the kids, all count toward a daily exercise routine. Jones said to incorporate exercise into engagement with the family, so it doesn’t feel like work. For health purposes, 30 minutes of exercise is recommended, and for weight loss it needs to be more.
“It doesn’t have to be drudgery,” Tidwell said. “Park farther away in the parking lot. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.”
Personalizing a fitness routine is vital for success as well, Tidwell explained. How people start off will determine their desire to continue a workout program.
In conjunction with exercise, a popular resolution people make is to eat healthier and in turn, lose weight. Goal-makers need to not be discouraged though and realize creating these patterns of habits take time.
“You usually see people wanting to make this change coming into the New Year,” Russell Medical registered and licensed dietitian Linda Moore said. “I think a lot of people are looking for the miracle quick fix,”
The best solution, Moore said, is to go back to the basics and common sense of healthy eating.
“Cut back on portion sizes; don’t skip meals; eat healthy snacks,” Moore said. “Start by looking at the calories on a label; then, check out the ingredients. The first ingredient is going to be the most prevalent in that product.”
Picking foods with less ingredients means they are less processed, which goes back to the basics. Things that should be avoided are excess sugar and excess fried foods with saturated fats.
For more technical, in-depth instruction on reading labels and how to determine what to look for, contact a registered dietitian. They also could help develop a plan that works specifically for an individual.
