A newfound - or renewed - commitment to health is a common sentiment each year after the holiday season of sweet treats, calorie-laden cocktails and scarce free time to stick to a fitness routine. Year after year, many people resolve to lose weight, get fit and be healthier, using the turn of a new year as motivation to turn over a new leaf. Many resolutions, made with the best of intentions, are broken almost before the New Year's Eve confetti is cleaned up, and few last until spring.

The keys to lifelong healthy habits include:

• Setting realistic expectations, based on a knowledge of the facts and of your own goals, motivation and lifestyle
• Building physical activity into your daily life and following healthy eating habits
• Understanding that you will have lapses, plateaus and changes of circumstance that need not derail your overall progress
• Knowing where to turn for factual information and personal support

Enjoyable alternatives offer healthy activity

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 150 minutes (or 2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week. If you're not currently physically active, this might be a great time to return to an activity you loved in the past or to get involved with a team sport. Not competitive? Don't like to run? A dance-based fitness class or yoga might be for you. Don't forget that consulting a certified trainer, exercise physiologist, or medical professional is always an important step before starting a new fitness program.

Cost need not be a concern

Financial constraints also weigh heavy on the minds of many as the new year begins. However, being healthy and fit doesn't require an expensive investment. Body weight training, or exercise that uses the body as resistance instead of equipment, was the most upwardly mobile activity on ACSM's 2013 fitness trends forecast. Body weight training can be done anywhere, including at home, and doesn't require a financial investment.

Beyond being buff - staying healthy throughout life

A desire to be fit isn't all about vanity. The most common diseases plaguing our world today are diseases caused by sedentary lifestyle - like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, among others. Our daily lives are becoming increasingly scheduled around sitting: sitting at work, sitting in the car during long commutes, and sitting in the evening in front of the television. Committing to a healthy lifestyle not only can help you look good and feel good, but can keep the doctor away too.

For further reading on this topic, visit: "New Year, New Fitness Habits."

Marketing: A Powerful Force

Families are inundated with powerful and noisy advertisements in the fields of health and fitness, many suggesting get-fit-quick products. Fitness and sports marketing may lead us to believe we can get six-pack abs through a new exercise device or that a certain pair of shoes will make us play like the pros... if only that were true!

As effective as these ads may be, they often leave the customer disappointed and frustrated with the results, or lack thereof. In addition to quick-fix disappointments, we constantly see ads for junk food via TV, radio, billboards, Internet, etc. Everywhere we look, there is temptation and the lure of a quick, family-pleasing meal.

How can families combat the marketing influencers and build a healthy lifestyle that will stick?

Fight Back for Physical Activity

The answer is simple: be active as a family, and talk about healthy lifestyles. Incorporating physical activity into busy family life doesn't have to be expensive, time-consuming or difficult. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that children should be active for 60 minutes per day and adults should be active for 150 minutes per week. This can be as easy as walking or jogging, or as fun as shooting hoops or playing capture the flag. Parents can take part in family bonding activities while staying in shape, like taking a 20-30 minute to walk with their children after dinner or before school.

The American College of Sports Medicine's 2013 Health and Fitness Trends predict that 2013 will bring in many easy and economically friendly activities, such as body weight training. Make a goal to try at least four of the activities on the trend list - and see what works best for you and your family.

It's also important to talk together about the need to eat healthy meals and get regular physical activity. Children should learn to consider the sources of nutritional or exercise information they receive and to make judgments about what to believe and what advice to follow.

Marketers may be savvy by convincing us that we must have the latest product for a healthy life or fit physique. However, setting realistic goals, creating a schedule for fitness activities, and sharing solid information and goals can help families develop truly healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

Obesity rates in the United States have soared among all age groups, particularly among our youth. In fact, more than 23 million children and teenagers (ages 2-19) are obese or overweight, a statistic that health and medical experts consider an epidemic.

As alarming as this is, there are numerous opportunities to start changing this trend. The Childhood Obesity Awareness Month (COAM) website offers a toolkit with statistics, sample news releases, social media messages, and sample letters to editors. Led by the American College of Sports Medicine, the COAM movement is diverse, inclusive, and anchored by grassroots efforts.

Click image below to watch our video on Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

What can you do?

• Eat more balanced meals and snacks
• Engage in physical activity more regularly
• Share your personal plan and commitment with family and friends of all ages
• Request a proclamation from your mayor and governor

What can schools do?

• Incorporate physical activity and nutrition into curricula
• Encourage staff and student wellness
• Support physical health and education programs
• Provide physical activity and extracurricular activities focused on healthy living
• Provide healthy food choices
• Encourage active transport to school

What can communities do?

• Provide and maintain safe sidewalks
• Consider green space and locations conducive to physical activity
• Endeavor to reduce pollution and improve air quality
• Emphasize public safety for increased outdoor walk and play

Now that you have the tools, how are you going to help fight childhood obesity in your community?