January is almost over. Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? How are you doing on them?

If you need help sticking to your goals, here’s some ways to start on three of the most common: losing weight, staying fit and quitting smoking.

Get off the couch and get moving!

Regular exercise keeps your body healthy and helps to fend off a host of ailments and diseases. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one in five U.S. adults participates in enough physical activity to gain substantial health benefits.  And a survey by the Associated Press this month showed that only one in four teens in the U.S. is getting the recommended amount of weekly exercise.

Why exercise? Because it:

• Controls weight
• Reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers
• Strengthens bones and muscles, reducing the risk of strains and fractures
• Improves mental health

How much do you need?

• At least 2½ hours of aerobic exercise using moderate effort (walking, running, biking, dancing, hiking, etc.) per week
• At least 2 days per week devoted to muscle strengthening (push-ups, sit-ups, weight lifting, etc.) using all the major muscle groups

Local gyms are eager to attract new members in January, and many are offering specials to capitalize on your motivation. Shop around and find one that’s both affordable and convenient to work or home.

Kicking tobacco

According to The Book of Odds, 70% of people who smoked in 2013 wanted to quit smoking all together, and 1 in 2.5 (40%) will try to quit this year. Unfortunately, the addictive properties of nicotine make smoking a hard habit to break. Smokers can read mortality statistics until they are blue in the face and still not summon the willpower to overcome its pull.

Is it something you’ve been considering?

There’s a proven support plan being offered by Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU. The “Freedom From Smoking” course is designed by the American Lung Association and begins on January 27. It uses individual techniques and group interaction to help people quit over a two-month span. And now businesses can host the course on site.

More information is available at http://www.siumed.edu/news/ReleasesFY14/SCIFreedomFromSmokingBusinesses.html.

No present like the time

A New Year’s resolution can seem like a distant memory in February.  So get going now, and before long you’ll be a happier and healthier person in 2014.

Who knows?  It may even add some years to your life.

-ss/rb

Source: Amram Shapiro, Louise Firth Campbell and Rosalind Wright, Book of Odds, From Lightning Strikes to Love at First Sight, published by HarperCollins and William Morrow, 2014.