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A healthier new year for Mississippians

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Get fit for 2016!
Alan Cleaver (flikr.com)

With weight and health atop everyone’s new year's resolutions, food will take center stage right along with exercise as people strive to meet their goals this year.

Rebecca Turner is a Registered Dietician in Mississippi. Using drinking more water as an example, she says a new year's resolution should be measurable. This can make it easy to stay on track.

"That means when you get to the end of the day, you have a specific goal - that is drinking the water - and it's measurable. You can answer with the question yes or no? Did you or didn't you? Then, you can get out of that gray area of 'Well, I'll do it tomorrow'. No, you can measure if you did it right or not, today," says Turner. 

Turner encourages people to make 2016 a year full of physical activity. She says 30 minutes of exercise three to four times a week is essential. If it's too overwhelming, the 30 minutes can be broken down into 10 minute intervals. 

Turner says if overall health is the main goal, water, fruits, and vegetables are key no matter what the resolution may be. 

"You're really providing your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to survive, repair, replenish, and recover from everyday life. You're going to live a higher quality of life, and that's something I think everyone truly desires and deserves," Turner says. 

According to Forbes Magazine, 40% of Americans make new year's resolutions. However, they say only 8% percent actually follow through.