Six Steps to Keeping Healthy Resolutions

This article was written by Jen Gubler and published in the Hurricane Valley Journal (Vol. 11 , No. 22 , January 30, 2008).

- For the Journal By Jen Gubler
Like most women in the valley Dowanna Cox is busy. As a full-time mom and the new owner of Curves in Hurricane she knows just how hard it is to find the time to stay in shape and stay healthy. Many people make New Year resolutions to lose weight and get more healthy and many of those resolutions are forgotten soon after, which is why Cox gives each member of Curves a health goal worksheet.The idea behind the worksheet is to commit to being healthy and know what steps you need to take to achieve that goal. Cox believes step one in keeping your New Year’s resolution to lose weight is to write down your goals and don’t give up if you make a mistake.“Women are fast moving,” Cox says. “If you mess up, start over the next day. It’s no big deal.”You’re goal this year may be to eat healthier, exercise more or even to drop pounds. But unless you commit to doing it, you will never achieve it.Annette Hall, a resident of La Verkin and mother of four, says she follows a plan for a healthy lifestyle herself and the best advice she could give anyone is to set an achievable goal.“There are so many people that want to be the perfect size,” Hall says, “and that’s not achievable for everybody.” Hall also says there is no perfect size and instead of worrying about the number of pounds you lose, its how you feel on the inside that matters.Step two in reaching your new goal is to remember not to go it alone. Whether you join a fitness or weight loss center or enjoy activities like running and swimming, you are more accountable when you go with friends.Lynne Murrah moved to Toquerville two years ago from Las Vegas. She stays busy taking care of her 99-year-old father and exercising at least three days a week. She enjoys going to Curves because she likes to get away and have time for herself. But she also enjoys the friends she’s made.“I haven’t met anyone I didn’t like,” Murrah says. “I’ve made a lot of friends.”And it shows, Murrah has lost 19 pounds since she began exercising and she did it without dieting. “I eat anything. I just cut back,” she said.Step three is to keep a positive attitude. Cox believes exercising makes you feel youthful and gives you more confidence. She says exercising gives you more motivation and by believing in yourself and your workout plan, you will see results. A positive attitude will help you feel better and stronger, even without losing weight.Step four is to eat healthy and to stay hydrated. By watching what you eat and cutting back on sodas and unhealthy snack foods, you also cut back on your chances of developing harmful illnesses like diabetes. Skipping meals can also be harmful to your body. Every time you skip a meal, your body stores more fat. Instead, try eating every few hours and snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables.Hall, who also worked at Curves for four years, says people don’t understand how important it is to stay hydrated. Drinking 64 ounces of water a day is essential to living a healthy diet. Hall warns that coffee, tea and soda do not count and that starving yourself of important fibers and nutrients can be dangerous to your body. She suggests filling a bottle with 64 ounces of water early in the morning and keeping it in your fridge. By drinking throughout the day, you can more accurately keep track of your water intake.Maridee Johnson joined Weight Watchers five years ago and says the best thing about the program is that once you’ve lost the weight, they show you how to maintain that healthy lifestyle. She is also the receptionist at Weight Watchers and recently had a new baby and was able to lose the extra weight again. She enjoys the benefits of the program like having a support group and learning about healthy eating.“It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change,” Johnson says.Step five is to exercise and keep busy. Hall suggests three days of strength training and two days of cardio followed by 48 hours of rest. While exercising for a 30-minute period, keep your heart rate up. At Curves, you are encouraged to check your heart rate every eight minutes to determine that your heart rate is adequate with your age and current health. Always check with your physician before beginning an exercise program. Moving increases your metabolism and helps your body fight the stored fat. When exercising, pick an activity that works the larger muscles groups like walking, running, swimming or biking. Keep your hands busy to resist the urge to snack on sugar and processed foods.Sadie Gubler, of La Verkin, is the mother of a toddler and recently joined Weight Watchers. She joined because she saw that her family was successful on the program and she wanted more self-control over what she ate. She says that by joining Weight Watchers, she chooses and makes her own food following their guidelines. But it is important to exercise, she says. She enjoys walking and bicycling with her husband.Step six is to set new goals when you have reached the old ones. We are never finished when it comes to keeping our bodies healthy and sometimes it’s not about losing weight. Phyllis Lawton, a Curves member, emphasized consistency. “The important thing is you keep coming back,” she said.