Take it slow and steady to achieve your New Year’s resolutions, experts advise

With the new year just a few sleeps away, many people are reflecting back on the year that was and setting resolutions for the next.

The start of a new year is a popular time to set goals for the future. CKWS asked some Kingston residents what resolutions they’re planning for 2018.

Eating healthy and working out seemed to top most people’s list. But how many actually stick to those objectives?

According to a survey by Ipsos, only 3 in 10 Canadians set new year’s resolutions — and 73 per cent of those don’t actually follow through.

It’s often said that to form any new habit takes around 21 days, but experts note it’s around the third week of January when many begin to fall off the bandwagon.

“The main factor why people get off track is because they’re not enjoying the process,” said life and career coach Andrea Laurie. “If something feels like work, we don’t want to do it. So you need to associate in your mind with the actual action steps.”

So how do we get our minds to commit to those resolutions?

“If you make small changes every day, they’re much more likely to impact yourself down the road,” explained Taylor Simon, owner of Taylored Training Fitness Studio.

Experts also recommend making a schedule and setting time for the gym, cooking meals ahead of time and finding a buddy to work out with for the best chances of achieving health and fitness goals.