Wellness Coordinator Liz Patton keeps people on track

By Robert Doherty
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE 

“I feel more energized. I really look forward to working out. I’m having fun,” says Rita Boyle, who lives at Linden Ponds. “It’s such a beautiful Fitness Center. Now it’s easy to make the time to do it.”

It’s that time of year again when people reflect upon the past year and think about what they’d like to do differently moving forward. That’s right—it’s New Year’s resolution time. For most people, this means resolving to lose weight, eating better, and exercising more regularly. For other people, it means quitting smoking, spending more time with family, communicating better with a partner, and having more fun.

Nationwide survey
The hard fact about New Year’s resolutions is that they’re not always easy to keep. In fact, a nationwide survey conducted by AT&T WorldNet Service found that though 35% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, less than one-third of those people keep them through the end of the year.

This research suggests that most people don’t realize how difficult it is to make meaningful choices in their lives or aren’t prepared to go about it in the right way. People who do keep their resolutions need to have confidence, be committed, and receive constant encouragement. That’s where the Linden Ponds Fitness staff comes in.

“I love my job! I get to come in everyday and help people stay fit. And there’s always added energy around here in January. It’s very rewarding,” says Liz Patton, Linden Ponds’ wellness coordinator.

Getting into shape
“I’ve been working out with Liz for a couple of months. It’s time wellspent. I’ve been wanting to do this for quite a while but there always seemed to be something preventing it. Then moving here I finally made up my mind,” says Rita. “It’s a very wellequipped fitness center and it’s so convenient—you never have to go outside to get there.”