Okay!  It is that time of year again.  Healthy New Year’s resolutions to be made, broken, or somewhat modified.  Personally, I like to fall in the modified category.  Or better yet, at this stage of life, I tend to make more realistic resolutions about eating healthy and exercising.  The over ? crowd, let’s just say they are no longer in their twenties and early thirties, are experiencing all types of health changes, and are hard pressed for time.  Metabolism is slowing down, families are growing ,and time is a rare commodity.  Or, on the farther end of the ? mark, empty nest syndrome is here or soon to be, which frees up some time but their energy level is not quite what it used to be and getting up early to adhere to a fitness plan or going to the gym after work requires physical and mental stamina.  (As a middle school teacher, some days I have neither.)  But never the less,  I modify.  If I don’t attend my yoga class on Monday evening, I make sure I attend Thursday’s evening class.  I walk during outdoor time with my students.  My Fitbit is my best friend as I really try to get in those 10,000 steps a day.  There is something to be said about positive reinforcement and when that Fitbit shows those number of steps rising, it is a great motivator.  I was visiting a my friend ,Vicki, over the holidays and we both were lamenting about how pictures make people our age look so much bigger than in actuality.  Especially if you are one of those people who carry their extra weight around the  middle.  I often called mine the “Larco curse”   The females on my mom’s side of the family can  carry our weight around the middle if we are not careful.  Pictures accentuate it and in these days of sharing on social media, let’s be honest, we all want to look our best and not like we just ate three chocolate covered donuts.  Looking at social media, there are all types of tests one can take to determine what type of metabolism you have, what body type you are, the best type of diet for your age, online lifestyle coaches, diets, workout routines, advice, and more advice, and more tests, questionnaires, and programs to follow.  Believe me, I’ve looked at many and even tried a few.  But what I have come to realize is that no one program works for each individual.  So I modify.  Am I successful?  That depends.  I am just not strict dieter.  I am better at moving and moderately exercising.  Some days I even exercise heavily and other days I diet really well.  Do I keep track? Loosely.  I always know the ball park figure of my calorie intake and how many calories have been burned.  Let’s just say that I am aware.  So being aware, I modify.  This works for me.  So for all the Over ? crowd.  When it comes to healthy New Year’s resolutions, I wish you the best at keeping yours, but ultimately, I wish that you find what works for you and keeps you happy and healthy.  Happy 2018!