The world is only a few days into the New Year but those resolutions are already starting to slip for many.
Some of the most common resolutions have stayed the same year after year (such as losing weight), but others have become more creative in their goal setting.
Diets don’t last and tend to be bad anyways, so why not set a goal you actually want to keep?
Forbes published an article about common resolutions and ways to stick to these goals.
They list losing weight as the number one goal, but say that “studies show, after awhile, most people get tired of following such a strict regimen and go back to eating pretty much what they ate before. Sadly, diets actually make many people gain weight, which a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine attributed to the boomerang action of hormones that control appetite and fat metabolism.”
The article suggests making small changes in eating habits instead of cutting out whole food groups. Being more conscious of what is consumed is wiser than eliminating something completely, because people often start to crave (and binge) on the foods they cut out.
Time Magazine created a list of those resolutions most often broken. Weight loss takes top honors, but traveling to new places made the list too.
Make it a goal to travel to a new place this year, even if it’s a nearby city you’ve been meaning to visit but have yet to actually see. It doesn’t have to be a bank-breaking vacation, as long as you experience and see something new.
If you, like “about 87 percent of Americans”, created a New Year’s resolution, there are plenty of helpful apps to help you move along in the right direction, according to a Yahoo! News article.
There are apps designed for those looking to lose weight, manage finances and even ones to assist in exercise.
Certain tools are even set up like games, in which people compete to meet their goals by means of setting bets to obtain points for their performances.
According to David-Michel Davies, who is the executive director of a company that honors web-based companies, and whom is mentioned in the Yahoo! News article, “’It comes back again to how people get motivated … Gamification is something that technology has really enabled and for some people it really works.’”
While virtual betting and tools don’t work for everyone, it could be the key to success for some.
Staying realistic about the outcome of your goals is important in persevering and meeting your resolutions, just as you shouldn’t start a diet/fitness regime without consulting a physician.
Sources:
Baker, Natasha. "Apps to Help Achieve New Year's Resolutions." Yahoo! News. Yahoo! Inc., 24 Dec. 2012. Web. 3 Jan. 2013.
http://news.yahoo.com/apps-help-achieve-years-resolutions-161640145--sec...
Haiken, Melanie. "5 New Year's Resolutions You Won't Keep - And 5 You Will." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 02 Jan. 2013. Web. 03 Jan. 2013.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/01/02/5-new-years-resolut...
haroor, Ishaan. "Top 10 Commonly Broken New Year's Resolutions." Time. Time, 01 Jan. 2012. Web. 03 Jan. 2013.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2040218_20402...
Reviewed January 4, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith