The Holidays are behind us and now we face the reality that those well intentioned resolutions we made in the excitement of a new unspoiled year ahead of us are going to take some real effort and require us to make some actual changes in how we operate. Its only 15% of the way through January and already we are having second thoughts.
By far, the most common resolution people carry with them into January is to be healthier, typically by "exercising more" and "losing weight". By the end of February about 80% of people will have abandoned the effort. By the end of the year only 8% of them will have succeeded.
As we discussed in a previous post, this is partly due to setting "results goals" rather than "activity goals". A results goal might be "I will lose 30 pounds by the end of March". You actually have no direct control over how many pounds you lose by the end of March. What you do have control over are the actions you take (or don't take) to lose weight. Your chances of losing 30 pounds are much better if the resolutions you make are to do things that will cause you to lose weight. "I will take the dog for two thirty minute walks every day." Or, "I will make dinner from fresh ingredients two nights a week."
Another reason for such high failure rates is unrealistic expectations. If it took you 10 years to gain 30 pounds, why would you expect to lose it all in three months? If you really love pizza, do you really thing giving it up entirely is going to work for you for very long?
And finally, we all know that people love change - as long as nothing is any different. If you simply set a results goal and then fail to make any changes to your habits and routines than it isn't likely that you will be successful.
If you are among the "be healthier" crowd, here are nine ways to get healthier without trying very hard from NPR. You don't have to do them all. In fact, don't even try. Choose three that seem especially appealing to you and do them, starting right now. You most likely won't lose 30 pounds by March. But you will see some results. Small ones maybe but real ones.
That really is the secret. Make some small changes for the better in the way you are living your life. Enjoy the feeling of succeeding. Celebrate it. Then make some more. You will astonish yourself with the progress you will have made by the time your 2025 resolutions are due.
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