FIT FOR LIFE? It’s the new year,...

FIT FOR LIFE? It’s the new year, and some of those 40% of Americans classified as overweight have resolved to do something about that. But any changes need to be lifelong, experts agree. . . . Ventura dietitian Lois Zsarnay, who began making end-of-the-year appointments last week, doesn’t do one-time consultations: “All of my clients agree that it will be an ongoing thing.” One goal, she says, is “getting back to using food as nourishment,” not for comfort.

GROUP GOALS: Zsarnay runs a group session for yo-yo dieters, but hers isn’t the only support--Overeaters Anonymous has dozens of meetings around the county each week. One OA member who has shunned sugar for 26 years says there are always lots of new faces around Jan. 1. . . . The 12-step group helps her keep her equilibrium. “Holidays aren’t that big a deal for me anymore. I’ve been abstaining from sugar all these years. It gives you a lot of freedom.”

ON THE MOVE: Sue Terry, aerobics director at Total Woman Health Spa in Ventura, agrees that membership always rises in January. But only about 50% of those new exercisers stick around, she estimates. . . . Terry, who dieted to deal with a weight problem years ago and exercises to stay in shape now, thinks members’ goals have changed: “They realize it’s not just about looking good. It’s about feeling better about yourself.”

HOOFING IT: If the health-club scene is too intimidating, you can always hit the streets. Gary Tuttle, a Ventura City Councilman and owner of the Inside Track shoe store, says running is “the quickest and cheapest way to be fit.” . . . Tuttle, who placed second in the Boston Marathon in 1985, says he knows of at least 40 county residents who will head east this spring for the 100th running of the race.