If you are one of the many people that will be making a health-related New Year’s resolution this year, I’ve got some bad news for you. Half of people that make this type of resolution will have given up after only a week and 83% will have thrown in the towel by the end of January[1].
Why is that?
For one, it takes ~ 66 days (more than 2 months) for a new habit to become ingrained[2] and two, most New Year’s resolutions are wishes, more than a plan. More on that in a bit…
Yesterday I asked a question on Twitter:
“Are you making a New Year’s resolution this year and if so, is it to:
- lose weight
- exercise more
- eat healthier
- something else”
Of the 62 people that completed the survey, here are the results:
As you can see, they are pretty close, but of these 62 people, how many will actually meet their New Year’s Resolution? Based on a study on the outcome of New Year’s resolutions[1] referred to above, only 8% of people will meet their New Year’s resolution so at the end of 2019, of the 62 people above;
- not even one person (0.94%) will have successfully achieved the weight loss they set out to
- a little more than one person (1.44%) will have been successful at consistently exercising more
- a little more than one person (1.54%) will have been successful at consistently eating healthier
- one person (1.04%) will have met their other health-related goal
This is not very encouraging, is it?
As I said above, most New Year’s resolutions are wishes, more than a plan. A wish is along the lines of “I’d like to” but without a well-thought out, realistic plan to make that a reality.
There is hope!
Yesterday, I wrote an article titled Why I Suggest Avoiding These New Year’s Resolutions which explains how to set goals that will transform your health-related wish into an achievable goal. The steps are very straight-forward and if you want they can be completed between now and New Years or can be worked through during the month of January so that by the time 83% of people have given up on their New Year’s Resolutions, you will be primed to begin implementing your plan!
What I’d recommend is that you read through the article I wrote yesterday (link directly above) and if you need or want some help designing a plan, I have a special New Year’s SMART goal session that can help. You can click here to learn more or send me a note using the Contact Me form located on the tab above.
I provide both in-person services in my Coquitlam (British Columbia) office and via Distance Consultation (Skype, phone), so whether you live in the Greater Vancouver area or away, I’d be happy to assist you.
Wishing you and yours the very best for a healthy and happy New Year!
Joy
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References
- Norcross, JC et al, Auld lang syne: success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year’s resolvers and nonresolvers. J Clin Psychol. 2002 Apr;58(4):397-405
- Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W. and Wardle, J. (2010), How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol., 40: 998—1009.