Every year, millions of Americans start off the new year by making themselves a promise. Usually these resolutions involve some form of self-improvement, though by the end of the year, not all will be accomplished. For those planning on taking the plunge into a New Year's resolution, Carroll County offers a lot of opportunities to accomplish your goals. Here are the top 10 New Year's resolutions of 2014, according to the University of Scranton's Journal of Clinical Psychology, and some local ways to complete them.
Lose weight
For the health conscious, Carroll Hospital Center offers a number of activities and services for people looking to cut down their weight and live a healthier life.
For those looking to make healthier choices, the hospital features nutrition counseling services for people in the community. These services are available to those with food and nutrition issues as well as providing preventive nutrition strategies. The services include information on nutritional science and proper diet as well as supporting healthy nutrition practices. For more information, visit http://www.carrollhospitalcenter.org/nutrition-counseling-services.
The hospital also offers a 30-minute nutrition checkup by appointment only. These screenings feature personalized advice from a registered dietitian and will help guide the patient to make healthier choices. For more information, call 410-871-7000.
For those just looking for new meal options, every Wednesday the hospital posts a new healthy recipe, which satisfies nutritional requirements. The recipes are chosen by community nutrition educator Melanie Berdyck, and include vegetarian options as well as those for meat-eaters. Recipes posted in the past year include a marinated vegetable salad, pumpkin pancakes, turkey chili and red lentil hummus. To check out the healthy eating options, visit http://www.carrollhospitalcenter.org/recipes.
Get organized
If the house is getting cluttered after the holiday season, Carroll County offers a number of opportunities to donate your excesses. The Westminster Rescue Mission accepts donations for its two thrift shops, The Spare Room and Thrift Barn, year round. Items can be donated to the mission's location at 658 Lucabaugh Mill Road, Westminster, and they offer pickups of large furniture donations by calling 410-848-8648. The Second Chances free store is run by Human Services Programs of Carroll County, and provides furniture, clothing, books and toys to those moving out of shelters for no cost. Donations are accepted at the store at 23 W. Green St., Westminster.
Spend less, save more
Every month, the Eldersburg branch of the Carroll County Public Library holds Monthly Money Talks with financial adviser Suzanne M. Bradshaw. Bradshaw discusses a variety of financial matters, with an emphasis on retirees and those looking to retire. In the past, she has discussed everything from annuities and estate planning to end-of-the-year tax preparation. The next event will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 9, and registration is currently open at library.carr.org or at 410-386-4488.
Enjoy life to the fullest
One of the best ways to appreciate life is to know a lot about it. For those looking for a knowledge boost, Carroll Community College offers a host of non-credit continuing education classes. The college offers classes in art, history, languages, popular culture as well as professional training courses detailing the best ways to run a small business or build your career. The college offers tuition assistance for those who qualify, and Carroll County residents can take advantage of lowered costs for each class. For more information, visit http://www.carrollcc.edu or call 410-386-8000.
Stay fit and healthy
To pair with the improved nutrition of those looking to lose weight, Carroll County Recreation and Parks offers a number of chances to get out of the house and move. Programs for adults include martial arts, morning bird walks, tai chi, and Zumba. For those who prefer organized sports, the Carroll County Sports Complex hosts a number of adult recreational leagues, including softball, flag football, soccer, lacrosse and basketball. For more information about these leagues, call 410-857-4832 or email ccsc@ccg.carr.org.
Learn something exciting
The six branches of the Carroll County Public Library each feature a huge selection of books, magazines and films. In addition to the countywide physical catalog, which can be checked out from any CCPL branch location, the library also features a selection of ebooks and digital magazine subscriptions. Nearly every day, the libraries host free events for the public, both educational and recreational. For more information, visit library.carr.org.
Quit smoking
The Carroll County Health Department offers free aid for Carroll County residents looking to quit smoking in the new year. The Stop Using Tobacco For Life program is a five-week smoking cessation class held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays at the Carroll County Health Department. The department will offer nicotine replacement vouchers and discuss ways to unlearn the smoking habit. For more information, visit http://www.carrollcountyhealthdepartment.dhmh.md.gov or call 410-876-2152.
Help others in their dreams
The Carroll Nonprofit Center houses 23 different nonprofits, and is a great place to start if looking for an opportunity to volunteer in the county. Nonprofits include the Carroll Child Care Center, Civil Air Patrol, Get Connected Resource Center, Literacy Council and United Way of Central Maryland. These nonprofits work in a number of different sectors of public good. For more information on the volunteering opportunities, check out the center's website at http://www.carrollnonprofitcenter.org or call 410-871-9030.
Fall in love
Meeting someone new begins with as simple a step as getting out of the house. To find out what's going on in the county, check out the Carroll County Tourism website at http://www.carrollcountytourism.org for a look ahead at what's going on. Saturday, Jan. 10 will see a singles dance in Sykesville, blues concert in Westminster and other opportunities to meet new people.
Spend more time with family
As the weather warms up, families can head out into the beautiful countryside of Carroll County and take in the sights at one of Carroll's 32 park sites. These parks include nature centers, sports complexes, museums, fields, dog parks and more. For a complete listing of free sites, check out ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark.
Reach staff writer Jacob deNobel at 410-857-3316 or jacob.denobel@carrollcountytimes.com.
