Looking to get healthy and fit through better food choices and exercise, and encouraging others to do so, is on the minds of residents making New Year’s resolutions.

“My New Year’s resolution is to help other people with their overall fitness and mental well-being,” said Erick Macklin, 39 from Mongmong-Toto-Maite.

Macklin said when he moved to Guam from the states he started working out and getting fit which he hoped to motivate others to do.

Joshua Toves, 47 from Chalan Pago, is hoping to get in better shape and watch what he eats after speaking with his doctor.

He plans to cut back on processed foods like spam and rich pork dishes that are served at parties.

“When you’re younger you don’t really care about what you eat, but when you get older you start to care,” he said.

Toves said even though his construction job is physically demanding, he was told by his doctor it is not the same as cardio exercise to keep his heart healthy.

Leehan Taggerty, 19 from Yigo, wants to get into bodybuilding and personal training in the new year.

He said he enjoys teaching people how to exercise and received positive feedback from his friends that he is a good fitness instructor. Bodybuilding is a personal goal for fun he said.

Hitting the gym is also Piti’s Liam Nangauta resolution.

“My new year’s resolution is to build more muscle. I picked that because I really like the thought of me being buff,” Nangauta said.

Nangauta’s mother was the inspiration to pursue a gym membership in 2023 and participate in group workouts to gain muscle.

Advice

To help make these resolutions come true, Grace Garces Bordallo, Department of Public Health and Social Services staff COVID-19 incident response communications officer, has some advice that the community can follow despite work, school or other responsibilities that can be a barrier.

“You can do all kinds of stretching in any place regardless of weather, and anyone can find five or 10 minutes. “I find that I have to make the time in the morning because, like what I’ve seen during the pandemic, my well-planned schedule can change rapidly during the course of the day,” said Bordallo.

She said preparing healthy balanced meals with fruits and vegetables after work for the next day or later in the week can help prevent buying unhealthy foods heavy in sugar.

Betty M. Tayama, Government of Guam Worksite Wellness Program health coach, recommends eating a healthy breakfast like a protein shake with fruits, vegetables and grains that can be made overnight for the next morning.

Drinking lots of water throughout the day to stay hydrated is important for overall health she says.

Pacific Daily News reporter Jackson Stephens covers poverty as a Report for America corps members. You can reach him at [email protected].