KEEP YOUR 'RESOLVE' THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

At the beginning of every year, gyms across the country are buzzing with new members who have made resolutions to lose weight, get back in shape, or engage in a more-active lifestyle. However, as the weeks go by, it can be challenging for some to stick to those resolutions.

Steve Ball, professor of human environmental sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia, says that for resolutions to stick, people need to focus not only on outcome goals, but those related to the process of being physically active.

'Too often people set fitness goals without a plan to get there. Process goals, such as a commitment to working out three times a week, are more manageable for someone just starting out than outcome goals, such as wanting six-pack abs."

New Federal guidelines suggest that adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week, and any amount of time spent doing physical activity now counts toward the goal of active minutes. Prior guidelines had called for at least 10 minutes of activity for it to count.

"Adults should remember that daily exercise does not have to be done in one setting," Ball explains. 'When it comes to exercise, some always is better than none; more is better than some; and too much is difficult to get."

Ball says attending classes is a great way to hold yourself accountable. However, he notes that physical activity does not need to be measured or considered "exercise" to be beneficial. "Being physically active doesn't need to require a huge commitment or a lot of time in the gym. Sometimes it can be as simple as taking...