Health, wellness center helps people reach their goals Published Jan. 8, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Megan Friedl 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Another year has begun, and people are coming up with goals to change something about their lives. Some people decide to quit smoking. Others might choose to watch their spending habits more closely. Another popular resolution is eating healthy, exercising and losing weight. Resolutions and goals can be easily made, but they're not as easy to follow through with. According to the University of Scranton only 8 percent of people who set New Year's resolutions actually achieve them. With any resolution or goal that someone chooses, it takes time and commitment to follow through to achieve those goals. "A lot of people bite off more than they can chew," said Kayce Beatty, Health and Wellness Center health and fitness specialist. If goals are set too high for someone to realistically accomplish than that person will probably quit early on. If people start with smaller goals and work their way up they are more likely to stick to their goals. The SMART acronym can be helpful in achieving goals. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-specific. Kathy Steinbrecher, HAWC health promotion dietitian, said goals should be easy to track over time. If the goals are too vague, the results will also be vague. "The first thing people need to do is sit down and write a plan," she said. "They need to look at where they are, where they want to be, and then figure out how they're going to get there." Steinbrecher said it's more than just writing a plan though; people must follow through with their plans. She said the biggest problem she sees is people not putting any effort into their resolutions. The HAWC works with Scott members to help them reach their dietary and fitness goals. Better Body, Better Life is a weight management program hosted by the HAWC designed for individuals seeking to lose and maintain their weight. The classes are held every Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. at the Education and Training classroom in the Scott Clinic. There is a cycle of five modules that rotate throughout the weeks so people can begin going to the classes anytime. Each class is led by a registered dietician, an exercise physiologist, clinical psychologist or chaplain. The class is focused on informing people about nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral, weight, or lifestyle issues.