Courtesy Photo | Walter Reed exercise therapist Travis Combest stresses that prior to beginning an...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Bernard S. Little Walter Reed Hospital Communications
It's a new year, so why not a new you?
With the start of the new year, many people make resolutions to improve their wellness by focusing on exercise, nutrition, improving their mental health and adequate sleep. Enthusiasm wanes for many as the days and weeks pass, but Walter Reed offers services to better maintain your resolutions and wellness throughout the year and for service members to maintain their readiness.
Travis Combest is an exercise therapist, and Robert Goldberg is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist in Outpatient Nutrition Services at Walter Reed. They not only provide care for Military Health System beneficiaries recovering and rehabilitating at Walter Reed, but they also provide advice to help people improve their physical well-being and prevent illnesses and injuries.
Combest stressed that prior to beginning an exercise program, you should first consult with your health care provider and begin gradually. He also emphasized that you should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) in your goals, explaining SMART goals build momentum, as well as confidence leading to improvements in fitness and nutrition.
“When starting an exercise program, begin gradually and realistically, such as walking 20 to 30 minutes three days a week,” said Combest. “And don’t forget to include weight training on two days a week, two sets of 12 repetitions focused on the major muscle groups (abdomen, back, shoulders, chest and legs).”
Combest emphasized not overdoing it with the amount of weight used to exercise, but again, beginning gradually and realistically. “It’s important to be consistent, and don’t forget to warm up for at least 10 minutes before you begin exercising to get your muscles ready,” he added.
“Make sure to also stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day,” Combest said. He explained proper hydration helps prevent injury and also helps with weight management.
He added that one way of staying motivated is making it a team effort. “Find a partner or a group to help with motivating you to continue your program such as classes including spin, dance fitness, yoga, cross fitness or even basic weight training, most of which are offered in military fitness centers.”
FOCUS ON NUTRITION
Goldberg also recommends you set goals that are realistic and sustainable for the short and long term. “A short-term goal could be something as simple as trying to consume one serving of fresh fruit per day for individuals already not meeting that goal. Increasing the number of fruits and vegetables consumed is always a good place to start when it comes to making improvements to eating habits,” said Goldberg.
He also recommends looking at Myplate.gov to visualize how your mealtime plates should look on a daily basis. “Myplate.gov is essentially a visual representation of how your daily meals should be structured. This includes half of your plate being non starchy vegetables (broccoli, salad, cucumber, etc.) and fruit; roughly ¼ of the plate a high fiber starch (brown rice, whole grain bread, oatmeal, etc.); roughly one-quarter of the plate a lean protein; and an additional serving of low-fat dairy on the side,” Goldberg explained.
“Also, creating a support system around you where everyone is working as a team and keeping you accountable can be very helpful,” Goldberg agreed. “This could include meeting with an RDN [registered dietitian nutritionist] on a consistent basis, joining online or in-person support groups or informing family and friends of your dietary goals. One method that helps many with accountability is tracking food intake with an app or website. Doing this helps provide immediate feedback as far as overall nutrient intake and provides objective data that can help with motivation and accountability.”
For those eligible, Walter Reed has several outpatient RDNs that help patients come up with realistic solutions in order to help them meet their dietary goals and needs. To schedule a one-on-one appointment with an outpatient RDN, a referral is not needed, call the Outpatient Nutrition Clinic at 301-295-4065.
MENTAL HEALTH
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Sheila Houghton-Antonucci, deputy for the Directorate for Behavioral Health at Walter Reed, agreed that exercising helps reduce stress. She added that building time into your schedule to read and breathe, and learning to say “no,” are helpful in building your mental health.
“Instead of overextending yourself, practice what works for you, such as mindfulness and yoga, something to help you to relax, it doesn’t have to be long, five or 10 minutes, depending on how you schedule time into your day. And talking to a friend or family member who is supportive [is helpful],” Houghton-Antonucci added.
Chaplains also play a crucial role in mental health by offering holistic, spiritual, and emotional support.
To reach Walter Reed’s Adult Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic, call 301-295-0500. To reach the Resiliency Program Office at Walter Reed, call 301-319-2865. The Walter Reed Chaplains Office can be reached at 301-295-1510.
| Date Taken: | 01.14.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.14.2026 11:51 |
| Story ID: | 556204 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A new year, why not a new you with a focus on exercise, nutrition, mental health?, by Bernard Little, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
