Answer: Maybe or maybe not. That answer might surprise you coming from someone who is a fitness habit/everyday-workout die hard. But don’t get me wrong: I LOVE the promise and inspiration of a New Year. I adore reflecting on the just-concluded year. I keep a journal throughout the year, and it contains the celebrated highlights as well as the down-in-the-dumps low spots. I use the events, moods, and trends of the year to plan and motivate me in the New Year.
But am I a proponent of “on-January-1st,- I will-start-doing-something-I’m-not-doing-now”? Nah. Resolutions don’t usually work, and they can set you up for failure for at least three reasons.
First, people plunge into adopting a resolution or behavioral commitment without doing essential background research. On average, resolutions break down about two weeks into them. Failure results from many things: unrealistic goals, lack of preparation, inadequate external support, lack of willpower, and “good behavior” fatigue. That pledge to swear off simple carbohydrates and go to the gym five days a week falls by the wayside
Second, I’ve found that we try to do too much. What good is working out if we’re still eating pizza and fast food? How can we make time for fitness if we don’t improve efficiency and productivity at work? How is it possible to reduce stress without allocating time for meditation? So we resolve to do it all: start exercising regularly, eating healthily, and meditating daily! Research shows that multiple resolutions don’t stand a chance of working. It is estimated by one researcher that the success rate for developing and maintaining just one new positive habit is less than 20%. The success rate drops with each additional attempted new habit we add on. Our very human desire to improve our health and wellness in one massive kick start works against us.
Finally, waiting until January 1st to begin a health habit is a very earnest, but artificial, device. Behavioral economists would tell you that we all have the desire to reduce self-perception cognitive dissonance. That’s a fancy pants way of saying that we want to change behaviors that we dislike, and we want to be more like an idealized version of our selves. However, we often lack the motivation to do so. But promising to start the behavior on January 1st when it is only Thanksgiving? Perfect! This assures us that we will cement that behavior in the future without having to go through the effort of doing it now. Waiting for the New Year (or bathing suit season, or when the kids go back to school, etc.) is the procrastinator’s best friend. (Trust me; I know this too well!)
Scary stuff, huh? I get that. I’m the Failed Resolution Queen. But when it comes to fitness, I found something that works for me: a habit-based exercise routine that makes the decision to workout effortless.
I’d love to share what I’ve learned with you.