Watch above: A look at how to make New Year’s resolutions stick, why people fail and the benefit of setting realistic goals. Aaron Streck reports.
SASKATOON – It’s a new year, a fresh start. Resolutions can be all over the map from trying to quit smoking to reducing stress but they all have one goal in mind – to better ourselves.
“So many of us end up making New Year’s resolutions out of habit or tradition and we’re not really on-board and ready to be committed to it, so I think if you want to be successful in your New Year’s resolution you do need to take some baby steps,” said Registered Psychologist Danielle McFadyen.
According to a national Well.ca survey, 52 per cent of Canadians feel New Year’s resolutions have actually improved their lives; 60 per cent attribute the success to setting small, attainable goals.
READ MORE: How to make healthy New Year’s resolutions that stick
Friday morning was the calm before the storm at the Mawson Health and Fitness Centre in Saskatoon.
“I did get a few calls yesterday asking why the gym wasn’t open, they wanted to start unfortunately I can’t come in and open the gym because we’re not allowed to be open today but there have been a lot more people here today then I would have expected,” said Kendra Rodgers with Mawson Fitness.
January is usually the busiest month of the year for gyms before a steady decline starting in February.
“People come in with unrealistic ideas but what they need to know is it’s your body, it’s going to take time, it’s not something so simple like that, you want to lose 20 pounds in two weeks, that’s never going to happen, unfortunately you can hurt yourself in doing that,” said Rodgers.
“Start out light, try a cardio machine out first.”
READ MORE: Getting more sleep in 2015 a good resolution: consultant
With where New Year’s Day fell this year, it’s easy to procrastinate.
“I don’t think there’s a bad time to ever start a goal for yourself and so whether you do it on the first or the fifth, if you’re generally committed to it and it’s something you really want for yourself in the big scheme of things, what does a few days matter,” said McFadyen.
Well.ca’s survey revealed that 82 per cent of Canadians have made a New Year’s resolution at some point in their life. Reducing stress was the biggest surprise this year with 74 per cent of people feeling it could change their life.
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