Marsh column: Now that you've started New Year's Resolutions, stick with it

Well, it has been 5 weeks since New Year! Are you still active with your new years Resolution (s)? I hope so!

I also know that by now you have had some “bumps in the road” (illness, work, family commitments). Those bumps kept you possibly from doing your workout for a week. How about that birthday party you attended? Some awesome cake and great food.

Guess what? That is life...things like that will happen. Now try to “shake them off.”

What I mean by that is that what was in the past is in the past. You can keep getting upset how you did this or how you did that, but nothing that you will do can change the past. Now, you have the future in your hand. You alone are responsible for your future.

And as I have mentioned so many times; Start TODAY! Tomorrow is always one day away. And 5 weeks into your New Year’s Resolution, it becomes hard to stick with it...anything really — stop smoking, stop drinking, stop overeating, exercise regularly, especially when you don’t see “big” changes. My sister stopped smoking and was getting mouth sores and blamed it on not smoking. No sis, it’s your body trying to get rid of the “poison.” How about, “It has been 5 weeks and I have not lost any weight”?

My answer is: “How long did it take you to gain that weight?” Right, not overnight and not in 5 weeks. Give your body time to trust you. You have done this so many times in the past and your body is thinking, “Here we go again, no food...he/she is killing us again with all the exercising. Let’s hang in there...he/she will give up again...

When you go from no exercise to exercising every day, your body will “boycott” you. Too much too soon is a recipe for disaster and failure. Same with dieting, our nutritionist Robin Fisher says: “There are so many diets out there because none of them work.” I agree. Anyone can stay on a “diet” for a certain time, but eventually real life will start again — birthdays, cook outs, going out for dinner. You want to live, you just have to do the “bad” things in moderation and make sure you are feeding your body the nutrients — veggies, fruits, carbs, protein, and dairy. Our program “Get a Grip” is going very well and we tell them, if you feel you can’t wait for this program to be over with so you can eat again and stop exercising, go ahead and stop now. This is not our goal or purpose. We want you to be on a program that will fit into your lifestyle. It is better to exercise 3 times a week for the rest of your life then every day for a couple of months and stop. Another great program that can help you with real lifestyle changes is Weight Watchers — they teach you real life eating. They promote exercise (there are actually programs out there where you can’t (or not too much) exercise due to the lack of calories….I know crazy.) You get bonus points for exercise. And that is what life is about — Eating healthy, exercise regularly, and living!

My challenge to you is to stick with it! Three months make it a habit, and when you passed the six months mark you will be considered a success!

Ester H Marsh ACSM, Cpt