IT CAN BE DONE: WEIGHT LOSS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERENNIAL RESOLUTION

So, you've resolved again to get into shape and lose weight this New Year. It's not unusual. Losing weight is one of the most common New Year's resolutions.

But how do you work it so you don't have to make this resolution again next year?

Gerry Salter, a physical therapist at St. Francis Medical Center's Center for Health and Rehabilitation, said most people who make it past the first six months of an exercise program will continue that program through their lifetime.

"About 50 percent of the people who start an exercise program after New Year's drop out after the first six months," Salter said. "The solution is in doing it. Get past all the intellectual garbage and focus on adhering to your program. I love that slogan by Nike `Just Do It.'"

Bill Logan, the wellness coordinator for St. Francis, said his top priority is tailoring a program around what people will do.

"Some people you don't get into a situation where they like to exercise," Logan said. "So we get them to the point of what do you least not like doing."

Logan said scheduling exercise into your day shouldn't be that difficult.

"The busier people are, the more likely they are to exercise," he said. "The reason is because they're organized people. They'll write down exactly when they'll exercise. You have to also schedule some flexibility in, like how am I going to get my workout in if something comes up."

Planning is also essential for staying true to a program. Logan said remembering the little things like the right shoes, socks, a towel and the right clothing will go a long way to ensuring you will make your workouts.

"It may sound silly but I make a list," he said. "I put it all into a bag so that when I get up in the morning that bag just goes."

Scott Givens, a wellness specialist for Southeast Missourian's wellness program at Main Street Fitness Center in Jackson, said variety is the key to making a program last.

"Exercise shouldn't have to be a boring, tedious task," Givens said. "I always keep them changing. I never let them stay on the same routine for more than a couple weeks at a time. The majority of people that come in want someone to help them along the way."

Main Street offers an evaluation at the beginning of a program and a will re-evaluate and adjust the program as a client progresses. Adjustments are necessary because the body quickly adapts.

"Time is usually the biggest complaint," Givens said. "So we'll try to change up their routine so they're not so pressed for time."

Both Givens and Salter said many people see quick initial results and then the progress will even out.

"You're not training your muscles per se in the first part, you're training your nervous system to figure out how to make the muscles work," Salter said. "That's why people get such good progress in the first six to eight weeks."

Nutrition is the other factor to losing weight. A radical change in eating habits is usually counterproductive.

"It's simple things like instead of using mayonnaise use spicy mustard," Salter said. "Try and use some spices instead of butter."

Fast food restaurants do have healthy items on their menus.

"But how many times have you seen people order the grilled chicken and take that packet of crap and pour it all over it?" Salter said. "Then they'll chase it down with a shake and fries. They've got the concept there but they're not putting the whole picture together."

Lastly, don't rely on a scale for an accurate indication of how well a program is working. Tape measures -- seeing if someone has lost inches around the waist or hips -- is better at determining how much fat has been shed.

"On a non-monitored program people go nuts with the scale," Logan said. "If they're just depending on the scale, the scale doesn't know if it's them or a sack of potatoes. It doesn't know how much of a person is fat and how much is muscle. People can get real frustrated by watching the scale."

10 simple tips for getting fit:

-- Don't diet, don't starve yourself and don't go overboard on the fat-free food.

Use moderation in making changes in your nutrition. The easiest way to cut a significant amount of fat out of your diet is to stop using mayonnaise, cheese and butter. Eat when you are hungry; studies show those who eat six small nutritious meals a day lose weight faster than those who cut done to one or two big meals.

-- Aerobic exercise.

It's simple. Take a 30-minute walk three to five days a week. Walk up and down stairs for 20 minutes three times a week.

-- Resistance exercise.

Building muscle fiber stokes the body's furnace, better known as the metabolism. Best of all, muscles burn fat while you are resting.

-- Rest.

Exercise rips muscles apart, rest mends them and makes them stronger. Someone who exercises seven days a week is simply tearing down without ever building back up.

-- Go slow.

A slow steady activity, like walking or jogging, for 20 minutes burns more fat than running as fast as you can for 20 minutes.

-- Cross train.

Do something you like to do. If you can't stand jogging, ride a bike. If jogging is fun for a little while then gets boring, do something else. The point is keep moving.

-- Don't overdo it.

Getting hurt from trying to do too much too soon will undermine your program quicker than anything else. Work gradually toward where you want to be.

-- Get a partner.

Partners provide inspiration, motivation and relief from boredom. If you're serious about getting into shape, find someone else who is serious about it too.

-- Schedule your exercise.

Block out the hour that you are going to exercise and treat it just like it was a business commitment. It is now part of your life. Treat it like an indispensable part.

-- Get checked by a doctor.

One simple trip to the doctor's office could save you a more serious trip to the hospital later on.