FOREST, Miss. -- When the new year begins, so do commitments to drop extra pounds and live healthier lifestyles. But many people find it hard to keep these promises to themselves.

Walk-A-Weigh, a program of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, gives people the proper tools to change their lifestyles by helping them improve their eating habits and stick to regular exercise routines. It began as a pilot program in 2015 but will be offered statewide in 2016.

“Eating healthier and losing weight rank high on the list of New Year’s resolutions,” said Anita Webb, an Extension agent in Scott County and one of several agents who conducted the pilot program. “This time of year, people are interested in new beginnings and making positive changes. But many times, people don’t know where to start, and even if they know the steps to take, it is easy to just keep doing what we’ve always done.”

The 15-week Walk-A-Weigh program utilizes community resources, such as hospitals and fitness consultants, to help people determine their needs and set personal goals. During the first meeting, program partners record health readings, such as weight, blood pressure, and body mass index, during the first meeting. Participants set goals for themselves based on what they want to achieve.

Each meeting includes some type of exercise and an educational session on physical activity and food choices. Topics include understanding nutrition labels, proper use of pedometers, recommendations for cutting calories, and the right ways to stretch before and after exercise. Participants also get recipes for healthy meals and snacks, which they save in custom cookbooks.

“Our group chose walking as its activity, and we walked together once a week as a group after our educational session,” Webb said. “Many of them formed new friendships and exchanged numbers so they could walk together at times other than our meetings.”

Each week participants weigh themselves to monitor their progress.

At the end of the 2015 program, 15 participants lost a total of 150 pounds.

Brandy Richardson participated in the program with her mother, Mary Richardson. While she lost weight, Brandy’s main goal was to improve her overall health.

“We have heart disease in our family, and I wanted to reduce my risk for developing the disease,” Brandy said. “I learned some changes I could make when cooking that will help, like using canola oil instead of vegetable oil.”

The group setting helped participants make the necessary lifestyle changes, she said.

“There is definitely more motivation when you are committed to exercising with a group and weighing in every week,” Brandy said. “The support and sense of community is a lot like Weight Watchers, which I’ve done before. But what I like about the Walk-A-Weigh program is I don’t have to count points.”

Both Brandy and Mary said they plan to participate in the upcoming session of the program.

“It was great,” Mary said. “We really enjoyed it, and we will go back. We lost weight and got excellent tips on how to cut the fat in our meals. Instead of frying foods, we learned how to season and bake them. Instead of pouring oil into a pan, using a spray bottle will reduce the amount you use and still keep the food from sticking.”

Call the county Extension office for more information on Walk-A-Weigh.