Does this sound familiar to you? For 2015, I decided I would not create resolutions that I ended up failing by March and be more realistic.

I decided to throw the traditional New Year’s resolutions out of the window and make a realistic goal for myself. My goal for 2015 is to "Be a healthier person than I was in 2014.”

Setting a more realistic goal will allow me to reach permanent, achievable goals. How can you be healthier this year? First ask yourself, are you ready to make a change — are you ready for a permanent change?

If the answer is yes, here are a few tips that will assist you with becoming a healthier person: • Be realistic about your weight loss goal. Losing as little as seven to 10 percent of your body weight can reap health rewards if you are overweight or obese.

• Start small; work on losing two to eight pounds a month. Let your goals have a beginning and ending point.

• Find your motivation. In addition to having a goal, identify what will motivate you to achieve your goal.

• Be optimistic; learn from the past about what motivates you.

• Prepare your environment so you can be successful: plan healthy meals for the week; involve your family in planning and preparing meals

• Surround yourself with people who support your efforts.

• Stock your kitchen with healthy foods.

In addition, Halifax County Public Health System has staff and several programs/services geared towards helping you, as well as the community, reach health goals.

Our nutrition programs provide services to high-risk child health, maternity, and chronic disease patients.

We provide individual consultations by physician referral, in addition, to community outreach.

Our Health Promotion programs help neighborhoods develop organizational and advocacy skills to facilitate changes that sustain healthy behaviors.

Examples of our health education and nutrition programs/services include:

•Nutrition Assessments and Counseling

• Diabetes Self-Management Programs

• Health Education Programs and Screenings

• Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs

• WiseWoman Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program

• Tobacco Cessation Resources Here at HCPHS, we promote healthful living. In 2015, let us help you to reach your health goals because public health matters.

For more information about how public health is working for you, contact HCPHS Health Department at 252-583-5021. Also, you can like us on Facebook.