New Years Resolutions

Let's pretend it's one week ago. People everywhere are beginning to say to themselves, "This is the year I'm going to do it. I'm going to start exercising and lose this weight." Or they'll say, "I'm going to start my diet and exercise plan on the first of the New Year. Unlike last year, I am definitely going to stick with it."

Let the gourging commence! It seems that the week leadin up to the New Year's resolution to 'lose weight and exercise' gives people the golden ticket to eat whatever they like in an unadulterated amount. They look at the resolution as a huge sacrifice so they better get in the food that they love before they cut it out cold turkey. Personally, I've sat there and watched it happen at work. One coworker in particular was telling me that she was going to cut all snack foods and get serious about weight loss as she was slamming a bag of Doritos. All I could do was shake my head in agreement. It was like watching an alcoholic explain his path to being substance free as he was pouring another double shot.

With January 1, 2012 comes the Post New Year's Workout Syndrome The resolutionists pack it into the gyms nationwide. Any person that regularly attends a gym can spot the resolutionists. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are overweight and out of shape, it's the fact that they look lost and scared. They wander around the weight room, watching others, maybe pick up a weight and do something with it. Or perhaps they'll saunter over to a treadmill or stationary bike. Standing there on the belt, looking at the buttons like they are some sort of hieroglyph, they'll hit the quick start button only to realize that 5 minutes into it that the treadmill is rather boring.

3 weeks to 1 month later, homeostasis is restored at the gym. The resolutionist that came in with no plan and too much sacrifice has given up. I have never figured out the actual statistics, but I would be willing to bet that over 75% of the "lose weight and get healthy" resolutions fail. Why do they fail? The people that pick these resolutions aren't necessarily failures at everything that they do. These people can be among some of the most successful business types, teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc... The list can go on. So what makes someone who is successful in many aspects of life fail at something so simple as a diet and exercise? Lack of planning, too many restrictions, calling it a diet, and no accountability all lead to the demise of the New Years resolution. Are these the only things that cause failure in the resolutions? No. But these are ones that can be addressed and remedied rather easily. It just takes a little effort.

Over the course of the next week, I am going to post on different topics that can make your New Years resolution a lifestyle instead of a month long debacle.