GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — With only a few days left in 2022, people are starting to gear up to make 2023 their year.
But we love to make New Year's resolutions and break them. According to a survey conducted by the New York Post, the average American who makes a New Years' Resolution will ultimately give it up within 6 months. In that same survey, they found that the top 3 resolutions are living healthier, saving money, and losing weight.
This isn't a new thing, according to YMCA West Branch Director Marcia Sengstock
“We do get a lot of people towards the beginning of the year that comes in and same this is my year, I'm going to make a change," says Sengstock. “And then as we get into March, the surge levels out a bit.
But why are people leaving in March if they started in January? Often it's a problem of doing too much too soon.
“You need to make very small achievable goals. These big blanket goals of, 'I'm going to do all the things, I'm going to lose all the weight, change all my bad habits all at one time,' it really isn't that realistic. So I would say that to find a couple of things that you know really need to adjust in your healthy lifestyle or last thereof and set some really small goals based on that," says YMCA healthy living director Kim Elsing. “Making those big goals off the bat is going to discourage you if you don't see the results right away.”
Here are some tips from the YMCA experts on keeping your resolutions:
- Create small, attainable goals
- Keep those goals written down
- Find someone to keep you accountable
- Create a support group
