Do you know more people who have been successful at making and keeping new year's resolutions or more people that make them, often the same one's year after year, and don't succeed?

I don't believe in the tradition, ritual or practice of making new year's resolutions. I personally don't make them and refuse to let anyone try to pressure me into making them.

Year after year too many people go through their annual ritual of resolving to do what they set out to do last January but abandoned in less than 364 days. Getting healthier- exercising, eating better, changing their body composition, or a combination of the three are very popular resolutions people make. And they're just as popular for being ones that people don't stick to.

In the little time that I've been personal training I haven't met many people who made a resolution of life long fitness and stuck to it. When I trained at Gold's Gym and the YMCA the beginning of January was always a good month for the club but a frustrating month for trainers. Lots of people are lured into purchasing a membership, being influenced by marketing that equates gym membership with fitness (only if you use it correctly!) Large gym chains suck in the resolution-making-hopefuls with sweet new year's deals because it doesn't effect the gym's bottom line to collect a year's worth of dues from members that will only use the facilities for a few weeks. It's great business for the gym, frustrating for trainers that truly want to help people reach their goals.

What I've witnessed are too many people rushing in gung ho, attempting too much at once. They try to completely overhaul everything at once instead of taking a step by step approach. In a matter of weeks they are overwhelmed by the drastic changes and revert back to their old ways. To them it's no big deal, there's always next year, right?

The main reason I don't like the idea of new year's resolutions is the (lack of) priority of the resolution or resolutions. I think they are treated like minor nuisances, not real major problems. They may seem major or significant but they haven't reached that point of requiring immediate action. If it was important enough it wouldn't be put off until a convenient occasion like the first of the year.

Why not deal with it- recognize the need/desire, set a goal or goals, develop a plan and take action right away? If you didn't have enough money to pay the bills, rent or mortgage and buy groceries you'd take immediate action and not wait until the first of the year. If you had a serious health problem would you put it off for weeks or months holding off until the first of the year? I hope not.
But losing fat, getting healthier, eating right, or exercising regularly are low enough on some lists of priorities that they can be delayed over and over. If this is your situation break the habit this year. Don't let yourself down. Think about the goals you made. Determine what is the most important and why, then put them in order. Develop a plan, preferably in writing. Hold yourself accountable and begin the process. Questions? Leave a comment. I'd be glad to help if I can.

Photo credit: flickr.com/photos/way2go/CC BY 2.0