Wellness Wednesday: Keeping up with New Year’s resolutions

(ABC 6 News) – Every Wednesday in January, ABC 6 News Good Morning reporter Sydney Zatz has brought you her Wellness Wednesday series. In her last edition, she’s sharing why New Year’s resolutions aren’t always successful.

According to a Forbes health survey, 50% of people want to prioritize physical health in 2023. That survey interviewed more than 1,000 adults. While many make a New Year’s resolution, for some it only lasts a few weeks.

Research shows most people quit those resolutions in the third week of January. Part of the reason is because of trying something new, and not sticking with it. For example, if you tell yourself you’ll work out one hour a day and that habit starts to die off. Another reason is people are not seeing results fast enough.

Dr. Laura Garcia, a clinical psychologist tells ABC 6 News in addition, people are coming up with plans that are unrealistic. They are realizing it might be harder to incorporate new habits into their daily schedule.

“It’s really tough to handle how overwhelmed people may feel when they change things that drastically,” said Dr. Garcia.

“So what’s best is to focus on smaller goals that they can accomplish on a weekly or smaller basis and see progress in.”

Dr. Garcia said there is no “golden rule or diet.”

“What people need to do is think of this as an opportunity to be a scientist. [A] scientist to figure out what works for them and under what conditions.

“We also try to do it alone and we don’t have a community of experts or people who can help support us when we’re demotivated or discouraged.”

There are certain factors that play a role in our weight that are out of our control like biology or medical history. It’s important to have resources to tackle those factors.

How can you keep those resolutions? Focus on your achievements so far. If something didn’t work, learn from it and see how you can adjust.