Don't make getting fit a New Year's resolution, make it a ‘life resolution' that's the message from Health Minister Zane DeSilva.Mr DeSilva is encouraging residents to take control of their health this year and said simple changes to exercise or diet can make a big difference.People should put aside their excuses, like ‘it costs more to eat well' and ‘there's not enough time to exercise' and make the commitment to improve their health, he said.“We all make New Year's resolutions and after eight or ten weeks we give up because it's tough. What people need to make is a ‘life resolution'.“That is what I have tried to do the last couple of years and I have remained at it since dropping down from 200lbs (in 2000) to 168lbs today.”Mr DeSilva plans to emphasise ‘prevention' during his tenure as Health Minister and hopes the move will halt the rising costs of medical care.“As we all know health care costs are getting really high and it is going to start taking a bite out of business in this country.“We need to start promoting wellness and encourage people with eating and exercising. The cost of prevention is a hell of a lot less than cure,” he added.He said rates of preventable disease were on the rise on the Island and more people than ever before were suffering from problems like hypertension and stress.“One third of people have diabetes. That is huge and over 25 percent of our kids in school are obese and 65 percent of the population as a whole is obese.”Mr DeSilva said many of the health issues could be curbed if people made eating properly and exercising a priority.He also said people needed to stop making excuses: “It's not that people don't have time, it is that they do not make time.“Not too many people work more hours than me. I am up at 4.30am and I go until nine, ten, 11 or 12 at night depending on what I am doing.“Some days I do not feel like going for a run. That is why it's a good idea to have one or two people join in. That way you have to be committed and you don't let your partner or friends down.”The Minister admitted to braving the cold to run four to five mornings each week and is training to run in the next May 24 half-marathon. His last race was in 2009.In addition to exercise, he said people also had to be mindful of what food they were putting into their bodies.Many of the traditional Bermudian foods, like macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, potato salad and fried fish, are high in saturated fats and calories, he said.While these habits would be “tough to change”, he said such foods should be reserved for special occasions and eaten in moderation.The Minister applauded the health promotions going on in some schools and by insurance companies like Argus and BF&M.But he said the entire community had to work together and do its part: “I think our doctors have to start promoting prevention. Everyone needs to promote it.“If you can encourage everyone to develop healthy habits in regards to food and exercise at a young age it is going to be less trouble and less expense on the back-end so we have to hit it on the front end.”Last week Argus Group chief executive officer Gerald Simons warned that poor health would pose as big a threat to the Island's economy as a monster hurricane.In an interview with The Royal Gazette he said Argus was seeing increasing numbers of people in their 30s and 40s suffering from what used to be thought of as conditions affecting seniors.“The state of the health of the Bermudian population is one of the greatest risks the Island faces. We can't continue to have a situation where health care costs are rising at seven or eight percent every year, while general inflation is two or three percent,” he said.Some Health TipsHere are his tips to start you on your way and help you stay committed to your overall physical and mental wellbeing.Stop with the excuses. There will always be challenges to getting your health on track, according to Mr DeSilva, but it is important to make your health a life-long priority.Take it easy. Start your new fitness regime a little bit at a time, so you don't get worn out, the Minister said. And make sure you get enough rest, especially in the beginning stages, to allow your body time to get used to the change.Take a picture of yourself. Putting a picture of your starting point on the kitchen fridge or bedroom mirror can sometimes be all the motivation you need to stay committed to your new goal.Keep a diary. Writing down how much you exercise is a good way to keep track of what you are doing each week. Food diaries are also a helpful tool to ensure you are eating well, but can often be challenging to keep up, said Mr DeSilva.Get an exercise buddy. Finding one or two partners to exercise with; be it a spouse, a neighbour or a friend. This makes exercising more fun and will also help keep you committed and accountable to your routine.Think long-term. People often plan to lose weight for summer or a special occasion, but Mr DeSilva said it is best to battle the bulge gradually. If you make it a lifestyle choice to improve your health, rather than a fad, there's a greater chance of losing the weight and keeping it off.Eat unhealthy foods in moderation. It's okay to eat macaroni and cheese and fried foods a few times a year, but try not to make it a regular food choice, said Mr DeSilva. Instead try and eat more vegetables and lean meats, like chicken and fish on a day to day basis.Drink alcohol in moderation. If you are planning to have more than one drink at dinner, Mr DeSilva recommends drinking water and having a small break in between each alcoholic beverage.Plan meals a day ahead. It's often easier to grab a burger and fries from the shop around the corner when you are stretched for time. But thinking about meals and preparing for them the night before will allow you to make smarter food choices.Treat yourself. Diets shouldn't mean depriving yourself of all your favourite foods. Instead treat yourself to something you enjoy every once and a while, said the Minister.