T-R PHOTOS BY ADAM SODDERS For many central Iowans, New Years Day is a time to make a change in lifestyle, and many choose to hit the gym to get healthier and look better. Eating right, developing a reasonable workout plan and being interested in the exercise activity are some keys to success.

A new year means making a lifestyle change for many in central Iowa, and at the top of many New Years’ resolution lists is getting (and staying) fit.

“Don’t dive completely in, lots of people have very ambitious goals,” said Curt Shaver of Marshalltown YMCA health and wellness. “Do one or two things at a time, don’t do too much too soon.”

He said he loves seeing people who aren’t used to exercise put time and effort into being healthier, but added sometimes they set goals that are unreasonably high right away.

“With people who are new to (regular exercise), I usually say to take baby steps,” Shaver said. “Sometimes, (beginners) are unsure of how to put their routine together.”

He said common problems people looking to get healthier run into is not knowing which workouts to do, how many reps to do, how often to exercise and routines to get into.

At the local YMCA, he said the newly-implemented ActivTrax program is designed to help give both beginners and experienced gym-goers better direction in their exercise.

“ActivTrax is a new software system, it’s perfect for the beginner,” he said. “It develops a routine for you, this system makes it very simple.”

After a short assessment, users plug in a username and password, which they can enter either on a smartphone app or at a kiosk at the YMCA itself. After putting in the information, the program gives the person a workout routine for the day.

“We teach them how to use the program,” Shaver said of YMCA staff. “It tells you exactly how to do the exercises.”

If a user has trouble understanding what workout ActivTrax is suggesting, Shaver said the program provides videos to give the user a visual example.

“We’ve had the program going for 3 or 4 weeks now,” he said, adding it has replaced the older FitLinxx systems at the local YMCA.

He said he hopes to see a lot of people come in and check out the new system, and hopes it helps guide users to better health.

Beyond lifting weights and resistance exercises, other activities Shaver suggested included pick-up games of basketball or racquetball, or taking exercise classes.

“We (the YMCA) have a variety of classes people can take,” he said, adding instructors are good at working with beginners as they explore the classes. “They’re patient, friendly and adaptive.”

Along with exercise, Shaver said a healthy diet and eating proper portion sizes is essential to getting in shape and staying fit.

“A lot of people find, once they get into the routine of working out, eating right is actually the hard part,” he said, adding exercise often becomes fun. He said a eating healthy foods and portions is “crucial to everyone in the long-run.”

Another key to a successful workout routine is to genuinely enjoy the chosen exercises. It’s much easier to stay on-task if an exercise or workout is truly enjoyable.

“(The exercise) doesn’t really matter … as long as it interests them,” Shaver said. “It’s about having the right mindset.”

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Contact Adam Sodders at (641) 753-6611 or asodders@timesrepublican.com