New year brings new chances for changes

Every year during the last week of December, many people worldwide make plans to change something about themselves. These changes are usually something for the better.

According to the website pittsburgh.about.com, the top 10 New Year's resolutions for the year include spending more time with family and friends, fit in fitness, tame the bulge, quit smoking, enjoy life more, quit drinking, get out of debt, learn something new, help others and get organized.

It's not uncommon, nor surprising, to see fitness and weight loss at the top of the list. Recent studies have shown that more than 66 percent of adult Americans are considered obese or overweight.

Rhonda Louderback, owner of Curves, predicted to the BannerGraphic that starting next week, her phone will be ringing off the hook from people wanting to sign up for classes and make appointments.

According to Louderback, in the beginning of the year, people are very "gung ho" about exercising and losing those extra holiday pounds. But of the people who call Curves in January, only 60 percent actually stay with the plan, while 40 percent drop out after a month.

Louderback also said that the people who call in January seem to be of a younger age group, 25-40, than her regular clientele, 45-70, which seems to be the trend for the month.

Several club members have told Louderback that they are ready to get back on their weight management programs. One of those programs is called "You Have Nothing to Lose." With this program, members weigh in over Thanksgiving and are to maintain their weight during the rest of the holiday season.

Members will then weigh in again next week to see who was able to maintain the weight. There will be a drawing for six prizes for those who did not gain any weight.

"Next week we're ready," Louderback said in reference to helping those to shed some extra holiday pounds.

Sharon Freeman said that her New Year's resolution was to "take better care of myself."

She plans on completing this resolution by having yearly routine tests done, losing weight and eating healthier.

But not everyone is making a resolution to lose weight. Both Jeanette Summitt and Mavis Bray are striving for something better.

Bray said her New Year's resolution was "to be a better person." She plans on keeping this resolution by approaching people with a different attitude and by looking for a positive, instead of a negative.

Summitt said her resolution was "to have a better year than what I had this year."

"To forgive and forget differences between family and friends," Sharon Owens said was her New Year's resolution.

She plans on keeping it "by helping others realize that life is too short and could be gone before we realize it."

With every New Year's resolution, there is always that one particular problem that plagues everyone. They either cannot completely start their resolution plan or they cannot completely finish it.

Websites like mygoals. com and ehow.com have created tips on making and keeping New Year's resolutions. According to mygoals.com, when making a New Year's resolution, people should create a plan, create a plan immediately, write down the resolution and the plan, think "year round" not just New Year's and remain flexible.

The website ehow.com informs people that by aiming low, not overloading themselves, telling everyone they know, rewarding themselves and waiting until spring they should be able to keep their resolutions.

Although Marty Watts did not aim low with her New Year's resolution, she did create her plan immediately.

Watts said her resolution was to have a prosperous year in the clerk's office and to have goodwill and fellowship with everyone. She will have a little help keeping her resolution from her staff.