The new year is a chance for us to reinvent ourselves. A chance to make new New Year's resolutions. Leave your old bad habits behind and commit to a healthier, better, and newer version of yourself for the coming year. At least, that's how it should work.
The harsh truth is that despite our best intentions, hardly any of us actually manage to keep our New Year's resolutions. In fact, studies have shown that over 90% of us fail to stick to them. And most of us break them within less than a month.
We want to help you avoid just repeating the same old resolutions that are doomed to fail—but instead make 2023 a New Year's revolution to achieve the (health) goals you've been working toward all along.
In this blog post we will:
- show you why it hasn't worked so far.
- give you tips on how to make realistic, achievable and sustainable New Year's resolutions that will really help you in the coming year.
- show you that your blood sugar is an important indicator of your overall health and progress.
- show you how to get started.
Why do most resolutions fail?
Before you've even begun to make lasting changes, your New Year's resolutions may already be doomed by the way you set them. Many of us are overly ambitious with our goals and do ourselves a disservice with the things we expect from our minds and bodies.
Aside from setting realistic resolutions, it's also important to remember that humans take quite a while to adapt to new behavior patterns and form new habits. It can take three to four months for your body to recognize a new habit, like going to the gym, as indispensable and become obsessed with it. If you break a new habit within a few weeks, it's very unlikely that you'll be able to simply pick up where you left off later.
Keeping these things in mind and being kind to yourself are the first steps toward making New Year's resolutions that will last and bring a smile to your face when you look back on what you've accomplished in December. It's time to say HI to sustainable New Year's resolutions.
Gym memberships typically skyrocket in the first few weeks of January, as new health and fitness enthusiasts hit the machines to work on their New Year's resolutions. But if you've ever been to a gym in February, you know that enthusiasm wanes by the end of the month.
If your New Year's resolution is to go to the gym every day, you're going to fail. There will be days when you feel sick, days when you don't have the time, or days when you feel so exhausted that you just can't be bothered to pack your gym bag and head out into the cold. In the long run, none of this should stop you from getting fitter and healthier. But if you've broken your golden rule of going to the gym every day, you may suddenly experience a major motivation crash when you realize you've broken your New Year's resolution and it's not even February yet.
What's the secret to keeping New Year's resolutions?
When setting goals, it's important to be precise and specific about what you want to achieve. Don't just say, "I want to lose weight" or "I want to live healthier." Think carefully about what you mean by that. How much weight do you want to lose? In what way do you want to live healthier?
By focusing on this, you can break your resolutions down into smaller, more manageable steps, such as gradually changing your diet, gradually increasing your exercise routine, and focusing on getting regular, consistent sleep so your body has the best chance of responding to and recovering from the new stress you're putting it under.
It's also important to set milestones against which you can measure your progress. For example, aim to lose half a kilo per week. If you miss this goal, consider why you're not there. Then make further changes to stay on track.
When making fundamental changes to your diet, exercise, and routine, it's absolutely essential to maintain a healthy dialogue with your body. Pay attention to how you feel, not just how you look. If you start to feel irritable, experience sleep problems, migraines, or other physical discomforts, this could be a sign from your body that you're pushing it too hard.
Real changes to your appearance can take months or even years. There's no safe and healthy way to accelerate your progress. Your body will reward you for your patience and consistency. That's why it's so important to create habits you can stick to. Make commitments that are realistic within your lifestyle and circumstances.
Which New Year's resolutions are best for health and well-being?
Here are 6 key areas to focus on when considering the nature of your resolutions. All of these areas directly or indirectly affect your blood sugar levels and therefore have a major impact on your short- and long-term health.
- Healthy eating - Your diet directly impacts your health, your immune system, and your blood sugar levels. Why not try eating healthier by reducing your sugar and alcohol intake or increasing your intake of vegetables and fiber?
- Exercise & Sport - Regular exercise is a great way to keep your heart and lungs healthy. It also keeps your blood sugar levels stable. Why not start by taking a certain number of steps per day, or even going for a short run or bike ride once or twice a week? Once that feels like second nature, you can try increasing it!
- Sleep - There's no substitute for a good night's sleep. Your body needs a consistent and generous sleep schedule to recover from the stresses of the day and regulate your health and blood sugar levels. Why not try getting to bed by a set time every night, and you'll see how many other areas of your life improve?
- Relationships - Humans are social beings, and the company you keep has a huge impact on all sorts of things in your life. Having supportive friends and family around you can make a huge difference in achieving your goals. Why not strengthen your existing relationships and bring more community into your life in the coming year?
- Addictive behaviors - We all know how harmful certain habits and addictions can be. But it can be difficult to find the strength to give them up once and for all. The new year can provide that opportunity. Do you smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, consume too much caffeine, or order too many fast-food deliveries? Why not use the new year to give up these harmful habits?
- Stress - Perceptions of stress are not only psychological, but also physical. Stress releases cortisol, which increases your insulin resistance. This means your blood sugar levels spike, affecting your mood, sleep, concentration, and body weight. Why not try relaxing and managing your stress better this year?
4 ideas to make your resolutions a revolution
As we've seen, the key to lasting New Year's resolutions is proper and thorough planning. Here are some simple things you can do to ensure your success.
1. Write down your resolutions - Writing them down makes them seem more real. Remind yourself of what you've set out to do.
2. Share your resolutions with a friend - Appoint someone to hold you accountable. This will help you stick to them, even when the temptation to not do so is strong!
3. Set milestones and track your progress - If you can measure your progress toward your goals, you'll stay on track and make the necessary adjustments to ensure you achieve them. The Hello Inside app is a great companion to help you visualize your progress.
4. Be realistic and forgiving of yourself - You know yourself better than anyone else. You know what's doable and what's not. Remember that you want to have a good year, not one filled with regret, guilt, and self-doubt when you're setting yourself up for failure.
So start the new year by saying HI to sustainable resolutions and setting realistic goals. Get the Hello Inside app and learn more about your body this year. Stop the guesswork and truly understand what "health" means to you!
And don't forget: Be patient with yourself and stick with it. Patience and consistency are the key to long-term changes in your health.
