Making And Keeping New Year Resolutions - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

It's the most common resolution made in America, to eat healthy and exercise regularly.

But, knowing where to start and staying on track can be tough.

Reporter Sarah Gustin visits with the experts on how to take the challenge out of making a "new you in the new year."

<<(Sarah Gustin / sgustin@kxnet.com) "When you aren't sure what to grab at the grocery store, Eating healthy and losing weight can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be."

(Gail Heil / Body Connection) "Losing weight should be a lot of fun and exciting. It should be a new beginning just like this new year."

Nutrition Expert Gail Heil says it's not about dieting, but about changing.

She says despite popular beliefs you can even find healthy choices in the deli.

(Gail Heil / Body Connection) "We want to go into a clear based soup. There are a lot of vegetables, some beef in here. It's just fantastic. I like to go with something like this borscht soup and then maybe even made more protein or some beans when I get home and make it even bigger.

Working off the calories you are eating is a big part of success.

Melanie Carvell is the Director of the Sanford Health Women's Health Center.

Carvell says accountability is key to staying on track.

She says if you want to succeed tell someone---workout partners, joining a league or club or signing up for an upcoming event are all great motivators.

Carvell says we should all be aiming for 10-thousand steps a day, which adds up to about 5 miles.

(Melanie Carvell / Sanford Health Women's Health Center) "Our goal is to try and get 5-7 days of some type of physical activity in and then 2-3 days of strength training, but everybody starts at a different point, so it may be something as simple as starting with a walk around the mall or a walk around the block for one person, where the next person is ready for more."

And if you do get off track, start again tomorrow.

(Melanie Carvell / Sanford Health Women's Health Center) "A wrench is going to be thrown into your program at some point. Whether you plateau, you get sick or your kids get sick. Say, you know what who cares? I am human, I had a peanut buster parfait, I am not going to let that derail me completely. A big thing is to forgive yourself and say tomorrow is another day, I am going to start again."

Heil says popular belief is to lose weight you should shop only the perimeter of the grocery store, but she recommends shopping all aisles.