TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

New Year's Resolutions 2009

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: January 1, 2009

SEBRING - The ball has dropped on another year, 2009 has arrived and resolutions are often a part of it.

For some people it's a time to welcome the hope the future may hold, and for others it's a time to forget the past, but regardless of which there are people who welcome the New Year resolutely.

So what's your New Year's resolution for 2009?

"Just to stay alive for another one," said Doug Loewan, 80, from Ontario, Canada, who is staying at The Bluffs with his wife of 55 years, Willa.

Mary, of Sebring, works at Food For Thought, but didn't want to give her last name.

"I never make them because I never hold true to them anyway," she said.

She was reminded of three coworkers at an office who each year resolved to lose weight before the beach weather arrived.

That's pretty much a cliche as far as resolutions go. But it still is a valid one.
Catina Spurlock, 35, of Avon Park, said she wants to have a closer relationship with God, by going to church and helping to serve the Lord.

"And be blessed with health," she said. "And joy; and prosperity is always good."

Her stepdad, Lewis Tarver, 74, was with her visiting from Clewiston where he's worked as a heavy equipment operator for Hilliard Brothers since 1994 and U.S. Sugar Corporation before that.

"I don't have any habits besides chewing tobacco and working," he said, adding that he had no plans any time soon to give up either one. He said he thanks God for his good health.

A woman who works at a county office didn't want to reveal her resolution or use her name in fear someone who knew her would read this story and hold her to it; or worse hold it against her when she broke it.
Joann Sturgeon, of Louisville, Ky., was in town visiting her daughter Vanessa Logsdon. They paid a visit to Lakeshore Mall on Wednesday. Sturgeon said she's a Realtor and she has resolved to clean her home office.

"It's not big but it's a mess," she said. "It's not exciting. It's just something I need to do."
Logsdon said she resolved to quit smoking last year and has stuck with it.

"I gained some weight as a result and now I want to lose it," she said.

Lisa Celentano was sipping a cup of Barnie's coffee at the food court. Since 1986 she has owned Busy Bodies, a coed health club in Sebring, and has heard a lot about other people's New Year's resolutions over the years.

She usually gets people coming in to her fitness center with the resolve to shed some of that extra weight.

"I generally don't resolve to do anymore fitness-wise," she said. "I keep up with that. I do resolve to spend more time with my kids. I have two boys who just got a boat. They're trying to get me out there fishing."

She recently started in again as a personal trainer after getting away from it for a while.

Consistency is the key when it comes to fitness and losing weight, said Celentano.

"You can't store fitness," she said, comparing keeping fit with exercise to not trying to last a week on one good meal. "You can't be a weekend warrior."

The best way she's found to help people is through an eight-class series she calls a boot camp.

"The people who sign up for it stick to it," she said.

For total strength she recommends walking lunges, which she said are "like a deep wedding march," and also pushups. Elliptical machines provide a total body workout and no impact, she said.

Joe Seelig can be reached at 863-386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT