Beginning in February 2010, there was a group of men and women that have taken a stand and challenged themselves to lead healthier lives. From that first day, these Health Questers have been excited about what they needed to do to accomplish this goal.

I was able to watch many of these people expand their knowledge in areas, including weight loss, nutrition, exercise and stress management and relief through this weight-loss initiative as well as others and even pay it forward by telling friends and families about it in the process.

Despite knowing that a healthy diet and regular exercise is good for you and has many benefits, it’s almost always a challenge to stick with them and avoid temptation to slip into negative habits.

Self-control is a significant contributor to success when it comes to a healthy lifestyle, but there are other motivational factors that can make just as big of a difference, too.

This is a big deal as you come to the end of this eight-month program, but as many people know, this is not the end of their journey.

Health is not something that you can focus on for a few months and then once you reach your goal, leave it by the wayside. Healthy living has to be a part of your daily life and kept in the front of your mind.

If you have reached your goal during this Health Quest, make a new one!

An example of this can be: Original Health Quest Goal: lose 40 pounds. New Goal: Maintain your current weight for the next six months.

By continuing to focus on a goal, you hold yourself a little more accountable than when you just say “Hooray… met my goal, now what?”

If you have a hard time holding yourself accountable, enlist the help of a friend, family member or co-worker to help you! Just interacting with another person and talking to them about your goals and ideas about your healthy lifestyle will help keep you motivated!

Another crucial part of healthy living is making sure to keep up your routine. Most people are creatures of habit so keep your exercise and healthy eating a habit especially as the holiday season rolls around. Make yourself aware of how your body feels when you are eating, are you getting enough sleep with all the extra activities going on? Keep a consistent routine and make sure you are doing what you need to do to stay healthy.

I hope everyone who has participated in Health Quest 2010 has come away with a positive outlook on healthy living and the benefits each person can receive from it. Each person is different but all of us what to live a healthy, happy life and I hope everyone is always striving for that goal! It has truly been an honor to be part of this group and I am excited about seeing everyone on Saturday!