BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Editor's Note: This is part one of a three-part series on New Year, New You at Barksdale.

The Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell Fitness Center kicked off the new year with a New Year's Resolution 5K run on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Jan. 10, 2014.

Even through the fog and damp weather, more than 170 Team Barksdale members participated in the event.

The New Year's Resolution 5K was hosted by the Bell Fitness Center in an effort to get Airmen moving in the New Year. To further support this goal, the Bell Fitness Center has teamed up with the Health and Wellness Center to offer new classes and fitness events throughout the year.

"Around this time every year, many people's resolution is to get fit and have healthier lifestyles," said Master Sgt. Tamala Williams, Bryan R. Bell Fitness Center NCO in-charge of fitness and sports. "This theme was chosen to coincide with that, as well as emphasize the importance of physical conditioning in the Air Force."

Master Sgt. Angelique St. Pierre, 8th Air Force strategic armament systems manager, also understands the impact of being fit in today's Air Force.

"Being active and physically fit is important because an overall healthy well-being helps us properly support and accomplish the mission," she said.

One Airman who participated has a fitness goal of getting a perfect score on the Iron Airman challenge.

"I want to score 400 points on the challenge by June 1," said Maj. Walter Carroll, 2nd Bomb Wing commander's action group. "In addition to Iron Airman, I also want to increase training volume, bike more than 5,000 miles and run more than 1,000 miles this year."

Carroll, who won first place in the New Year's Resolution 5K with a time of 20 minutes and 54 seconds, is not only working toward these objectives, he's being SMART about it.

"All goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely," he said. "I have integrated all of these characteristics into my training."

The key to getting in shape and maintaining fitness is to establish healthy habits, he added. A balanced approach of a sensible diet combined with regular exercise is the habit pattern that should be established.

A good way to start on this path is by going to some of the new classes the HAWC and fitness center are offering this year.

The HAWC is set to add new core and muscle workouts to the existing "Balanced Eating, Working out Effectively; Live a long, healthy and productive Life program, also known as the BE-WELL program. The Bell Fitness Center has also added a popular total-body workout class along with their monthly 5K runs, annual Sports Day and another Barksdale Half Marathon 5K.

For more information on new health and fitness programs, contact the HAWC at 456-6399 or the Bell Fitness Center at 456-4135.