January 26, 2024
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To build sustainable habits, experts recommend setting achievable goals, sharing them with loved ones and rewarding yourself. Creativity and flexibility go a long way, too.
If you made a New Year's resolution to get healthy, time is running short to lock in those new habits.
That's because the average New Year's resolution lasts just 3.74 months, according to a Forbes Health/One Poll survey. It showed that 8% of respondents maintained their pledges for one month, 22% lasted two months, 22% lasted three months and 13% made it to four months. Another 30% made it five months or longer.
The research is abundant that though the start of the year motivates many men (and women) to embark on healthy lifestyles, achieving those goals is a different matter.
The Yale School of Management reports that almost half of Americans set out to improve themselves each year, but only about 9% make good on their intensions. An obsession with short-term rewards that yield smaller gains rather than a pursuit of incremental achievements that lead to more meaningful goals, and a lack of planning for predictable roadblocks, are some of the major factors behind this bleak performance.
So, if you made some of the most common resolutions – to lose weight, eat better or start exercising – your deadline to solidify those habits is approaching. That said, if you dread being another statistic and are ready to make this year the one in which you achieve your goals, let me share some tips from experts on how to stay motivated over the long haul.
The National Institutes of Health offers five tips to maintain the motivation to exercise: make exercise convenient by finding a regular place in your day for a workout, be creative and consider activities that will inject fun into your regimen, socialize your routine by finding a workout buddy, restart slowly from any break in exercise and build up gradually to previous levels of activity, and track your progress and reward yourself for hitting your goals.
The Mayo Clinic recommends taking an assessment of what you're able to do, "whether it's walking, riding a bike, or aerobic exercise in the pool," noting that just 10 to 15 minutes a day can produce benefits. Running a marathon and becoming an elite athlete do not need to be the benchmark – realistic goals are important to avoiding a mindset of failure.
Penn State University touches on something with which I have had success – sharing goals, successes and setbacks with loved ones. The support you'll receive will boost your motivation and build family bonds for exercising together, possibly leading to other collaborations like healthy meal planning and grocery shopping.
The University of Pennsylvania's College of Liberal and Professional Studies provides advice for its students that rings true for anyone embracing a healthy lifestyle, particularly those with busy or sometimes stressful lives. Their counsel is built on a morning routine that begins with a full glass of water to hydrate after 7 to 8 hours of sleep, and includes 5 to 10 minutes for self-care that does not include checking email or social media. Penn also stresses the value celebrating small victories and the impact that they can have on motivation and happiness. Dinner out at your favorite restaurant or planning a vacation can go a long way to helping you sustain your healthy habits.
Flexibility goes a long way too. Illness, injury, holidays, business commitments and bad weather can disrupt the best exercise plans. When these circumstances inevitably occur, it's important to be flexible and not let the disruption stop you from keeping your commitment to physical activity. Guidance offered by the Australian State of Victoria offers a laundry list of alternatives, like stretching at your desk or walking to your destination when you can. When returning from illness or injury, the key is to go slow and build up your capacity over time. Of course, get your doctor's advice, particularly if you have a chronic medical condition.
The British Heart Foundation acknowledges that healthy changes are beneficial at any age, no question. What's critical is finding the secret to sticking with your habits when the initial motivation subsides. To stay on track, the foundation advises starting with very specific and measurable goals, like committing to a 30-minute walk after breakfast every day, attending an exercise class once a week, or drinking one glass of water every morning. Set days, times and patterns helps to build habits.
When temptation has you thinking about skipping your exercise altogether, a smaller workout can be a great alternative to keep you engaged. A 5- or 10-minute walk instead of a 30-minute goal can go far in maintaining your overall commitment. And when you are really pressed and your motivation is slipping, the British Heart Foundation recommends considering the things you value. Loved ones, friends, children and grandchildren are great sources of motivation to keep up your healthy habits. Whether it's travel with a spouse or frolicking with the grandchildren, having the physical stamina to have fun is a big incentive.
According to the National Institutes of Health, "people who maintained five healthy lifestyle factors lived more than a decade longer than those who didn't maintain any of the five." The factors included a healthy diet, not smoking, moderate to vigorous physical activity, moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink or less per day for women or two drinks or less per day for men), and maintaining a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9. Despite the benefits, Americans, particularly men, perform poorly. Barely 3% of Americans (men and women) meet these standards.
My columns are filled with statistics that portray a less than optimal track record for Americans, especially men, and the likelihood of keeping a New Year's resolution is slim. Nevertheless, take heart. There is a pathway to keep your resolutions, and to create a healthy lifestyle that you can sustain. Use the tips here to make your resolutions a permanent part of your lifestyle, manage the temptations to quit, and navigate the roadblocks you will face.
And, most importantly, keep your valued relationships front and center. They are your "why" behind your commitment. Don't be another New Year's resolution statistic. You got this.
Louis Bezich, senior vice president and chief administrative officer at Cooper University Health Care, is author of "Crack The Code: 10 Proven Secrets that Motivate Healthy Behavior and Inspire Fulfillment in Men Over 50." Read more from Louis on his website.
