Forget the New Year’s Resolutions! Create lifestyle changes and keep working on the goal.

The typical New Year’s Resolution is: “I want to loose 20 pounds.” Admirable goal — so you reduce the calories you consume and add some exercise to your weekly activities. What happens after you obtain your goal? Do you keep exercising and watching the calories consumed? Or do you congratulate yourself on meeting the goal and stop doing what got you there?

What happens next? Do you gain the 20 pounds back so that next year you have a New Year’s Resolution to lose 20 pounds again?

This appears to be an endless cycle that is not healthy or helpful to the body.

Create a change in your lifestyle, and that of your family, that will not only get the pounds off and keep them off, but also improve the overall health and quality of life for your family. Start an exercise program using aerobic-based workouts. Train smarter, not harder, by using effort-based indicators to establish the correct amount of work for you. To burn the calories, stay in an aerobic state during your exercise — stay away from huffing and puffing.

By creating and maintaining aerobic-based workouts, you will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory systems and muscle tone. I am certain you will feel better, rest better and be able to handle stress better than before. It takes effort to achieve your goals. Have the confidence in yourself that you can make the change and then get on it. Get active!

A common question often becomes, “What activities are available to become active in South Georgia?” Please find some suggestions offered below:

• Walking or Running on a treadmill, on the streets, at a track or with the mall walkers at Colonial Mall Valdosta. Interest a friend or spouse to join you – pairs make the activity more enjoyable.

• Soccer is available and flourishing for the children in Valdosta.

• Tennis is available, as well as cardio-tennis.

• Swimming.

• Cycling. Check with the Azalea City Cyclists on their Web site (www.azaleacitycyclists.com) to see what opportunities they offer.

• Jazzercise, ballroom or line dancing, clogging and aerobics classes.

• Martial arts training.

• Weightlifting and cardio machines at many gyms, including ones specifically for women.



In all of these activities, the key to enjoying them is to train smarter, not harder. The “No Pain, No Gain” cliche is no good and outdated! Use your heart rate as your governor and your breathing as an indication of how the body is working.

To use an analogy with a car, one does not drive their car where the engine is running at 7000 rpm all the time, because the engine is working way too hard, is not running efficient and will overheat and break down. Your body’s tachometer is your heart rate, and to be efficient in burning the fuel (calories), you need to perform the activity at a rate that your heart rate is between 65-75 percent of the maximum rate your heart can beat. Over time, you will become stronger and able to handle more stress along the way.

Just start easy and move up slowly.

It takes effort to achieve your goals. Have the confidence in yourself that you can make the change and then get on it. Get active!

Outstanding performances:

The Jacksonville Marathon was held on Dec. 16. Many people from Valdosta took the challenge and participated in the event on a day with tough weather conditions. These people included Alan Thomas (3:24:31), Amy Sharon (3:42:34), Joe Wilson (4:20:12), Marta Kvande (4:26:56), Gabe Brown (4:33:55), and Kim Trannel (5:39:41). Others participated in the half marathon: Stephen Sparks (1:44:55), Hunter Lane (2:00:12), Tim Schlairet (2:05:38), Kathi Blais and Katie Kolisz (2:05:41), Jodi Harbin (2:08:04), Timothy Schlairet (2:18:30), Maura Schlairet (2:20:10), Mandy White (2:24:17), Curt Fowler (2:31:43), and Brooke Schlairet (2:40:34). Congratulations to one and all.

On Jan. 12 in Nashville, the 3rd annual BRCA 5K and 1-mile runs will be presented by the Berrien Parks and Recreation Department. Go by Get Active to pick up your application and sign up for the event.

On Feb. 9, the student-athletes of VSU will be presenting a Relay event. There are five legs of the relay, and a team can be from 3 to 5 members to get the full distance completed. The distance covered will be 10K or 6.2 miles, but each leg will run approximately 1.2 miles. If there are less than 5 people on the team, members will have to run multiple legs. There will be awards in team categories, team names and team T-Shirts. This is a family event, keep that in mind. There is more information to come on this event in the coming weeks.

There are weekly free activities for the runners and cyclists in the area. Runners can show up at Get Active Running and More on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 7 a.m. for all-comer runs from 1.5 to 8-plus miles.

For more information on the runs, check out the web page www.getactivevaldosta.com, call or send an e-mail. Cyclists can meet for rides on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the cycling rides, check out the web page at www.azaleacitycyclists.com.

Do you have results you want to share about yourself, a loved one or friend? Do you want to share what motivates you to being active? Send an e-mail to me at Get Active Running and More.

If you have questions about your walking, running or other training, drop me an e-mail and I will do my level best to answer your questions. Check out www.getactivevaldosta.com to get connected. Listen to the Get Active South Georgia radio show on Tuesday evenings from 6-7 p.m. on Talk 92.1 FM to receive additional information or to ask questions.