Have a Healthy New Year

2015 is here and so are the resolutions.

You want to lose weight after you’ve stuffed yourself like the turkey you ate over the holidays, or you finally want to break that nasty smoking habit.

Both good ideas, and help is on the way in the form of the Primary Care Network in Wetaskiwin.

The organization is offering a series of workshops, the bulk which begin this week.

“We have four going on – one for quitting smoking, one for getting walking and two that are more weight management,” said Amanda Leendertse, a registered dietician with Primary Care Network in Wetaskiwin.

“These classes are really great. We talk about healthy ways of losing weight.

“Small sustainable changes add up to big changes in the end,” she said.

“Let’s say you’re having your coffee in the morning, and you’re having say, a large double double. Going from having say, a large double double to a medium and then eventually scaling back to a black coffee,” explained Leendertse.

“Small changes like that, that we do every day, add up to big changes in the end,” she said.

Drinking more water daily and incorporating more vegetables in your diet are also key ways to a healthier you.

“Eat as close nature as possible. If you pick something up and you don’t know where it came from that’s usually a good indicator that it’s probably not something you should be eating,” she said.

“Another thing I like to say to people is this change that you are making can you see yourself doing it 10 years from now because if the answer is no, then it’s not a sustainable change for you right now.”

Leendertse said there is a range of people signing up for the workshops, which will be offered twice in 2015.

“They feel they have a lot to lose and then there are people who are just trying to clean up their diet, and the support of the group environment is great for people, too. All people essentially in the same boat who want to try to live healthier lives, and we help to give you the tools to use those.”

The weight-wise workshop has been the most popular one according to Leendertse.

One class already has started, with the second one scheduled to begin tomorrow.

People could still register for the workshop, but Leendertse said they are reaching capacity for the both times they are offering it.

“It’s become so popular that we’re offering two sessions now per season rather than the one we were doing before,” said Leendertse.

The heighten interest is evident.

“It covers a lot of things that people want to know more about. We talk about healthy eating, eating on the go, … calorie management. We also cover things like physical activity as well as stress, which is something we might not think plays into weight management, but it does for sure.”

The organization’s Quit Core program, designed to help people quit smoking, is also underway.

The two other workshops ­ – Make the Move and Health for Life – are also being offered in January.

For more information contact Primary Care Network Wetaskiwin at wetaskiwinpcn.ca.

(originally posted in the Wetaskiwin Times - http://www.wetaskiwintimes.com/2015/01/14/have-a-healthy-new-year)