It’s the resolution that has stood the test of time – losing weight. As part of the Macon Food Story, we’ve shown you some great places to get some incredible, and not necessarily low fat, meals and we don’t plan on stopping that this year. But what we will do, is give you some tips to create a healthier life style over time so you can still enjoy that good ole southern comfort food.

A New Year, New You doesn’t have to be a challenge.

“I’d recommend ditching that diet mentality”, says Naomi McKensie, a Clinical Dietitian with Coliseum Health Systems.

Naomi McKensie is a clinical dietitian with Coliseum Health Systems in Macon and she says the biggest part of beginning a healthier lifestyle is getting your mind right.

“Instead of focusing on foods being bad or good foods you may want to look at changing your mindset and thinking of foods as healthy and less healthy”, says McKensie.

That means having a healthy plate.

“If you have a round plate you want to divide it in half, so one of those sides should be divided again into another half so one part should be the carbohydrate, the other half the protein and then the other full half – that’s going to be your main focus on vegetables and fruits”, says McKensie.

But also having the foods your body loves the most.

“When people start depriving themselves of certain foods, that’s when people start falling into pitfalls and they can’t keep their resolutions to live a healthier or eat a healthier lifestyle”, says McKensie.

Here’s the deal, if you’re going to have those less healthy foods sometimes, it’s good to offset those calories with a workout.

“Start out by going one or two days a week”, says  Austin Chaffin, a Personal Trainer at Kinetix Health Club.

Austin Chaffin is a Personal Trainer at Kinetix Health Club and a weight lifting instructor at Mercer University. He says if you want to start a work out plan, start with a calendar.

“Make sure that you schedule it in because you have to make it somewhat of a habit and if you don’t make it a habit and discipline yourself to go, you won’t go”, says Chaffin.

Chaffin says consider a group fitness class or personal training to help get you started and add some weight lifting into your routine.

“The more muscle you can build and activate, the more body fat you’re actually burning at the same time”, says Chaffin.

Remember, progress takes time.

“Take it easy, leave your ego at the door, life what you can lift. It takes a long time to build good foundation for strength”, says Chaffin.

Chaffin says if you mention this story during the month of January, he’ll give you a free workout! Look for him at the Kinetix Health Club on Bowman Road in Macon.

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