Why Your New Year’s Resolution Isn’t Working

On average, only 9% of Americans succeed in keeping their New Year’s Resolution.¹ With staggering statistics like these, how can you set yourself up for success in order to achieve your fitness, nutrition and health goals? Check out the tips below to help you to create the ultimate New Year’s Resolution and increase your chances of success. 

You Need to Plan:

Whether it is a fitness or nutrition goal, you will not be successful if you do not proactively plan. Lack of planning relies more on willpower and discipline (which can be in short supply, especially towards the end of your day). Avoid this by adding your workouts and daily meals into your calendar at the start of the week. Set aside some non-negotiable time to plan for the week. Make sure to also plan for potential barriers and obstacles. I recommend working with a nutrition professional or personal trainer to help you to identify barriers and solutions before they occur so you are prepared to overcome them. 

Create Built-In Accountability: 

If you are relying solely on motivation to exercise and eat healthy, you will not be consistent. Relying on willpower and discipline, motivation comes and goes and is rarely around for longer periods of time. I recommend adding some built-in accountability to your goal such as:

• Getting a personal trainer or nutrition coach 
• Working out and/or tracking progress with a friend (or group) that has a similar goal
• Tracking your goal through journals or wall calendars

Set Performance Goals, Not Outcome Goals:

The type of goals you set can either help keep you motivated or ruin your progress. An example of a performance goal is, “I will workout four times a week.” Performance goals are goals that are 100% in your control; whether you complete or do not complete the goal is entirely dependent on you. On the other hand, outcome goals are not 100% in your control and even if you did everything you could, you may not achieve it. Avoid outcome goals such as “I want to lose 10 pounds in 2 months.” because the outcome of your goal is not 100% in your control. For more on performance and outcome goals click here. 

What Works For You, May Not Be What Works For Others: 

It’s always important to remember that your life is not the same as anyone else’s. What works for others (such as exercising in the morning), may not be what works for you. There is no standard way to engage in healthy habits. If something is not working for you, change it. Do not try to fit a square peg into a round hole. In order to maintain your health goals, you need to make sure that they can fit into your lifestyle. The more difficult it is for your health goal to fit into your lifestyle, the less likely you are going to stick with it.

When reviewing your New Year’s Resolution, make sure you take time to compare it to this list above. The better your New Year’s Resolution, the more likely you are to beat the statistics and succeed! 

References:
1. Allen L. New Year’s Resolution Statistics and Trends [2023]. driveresearch. Published September 13, 2023. Accessed December 30, 2023. https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/new-years-resolutions-statistics/