I’ve typically avoided New Year’s Resolutions. I mean, why set yourself up for failure right at the beginning of a brand, spanking new year? Mark Twain quiped, ” New Year’s Day… now is the accepted time to make your regular resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” That’s pretty much my experience. In fact, according to statistics posted in a 2004 article, “Auld Lang Syne”, in the Journal of Pyschology, in the 1st week folks keep 75% of their resoultions, 71% in the 2nd week, and by 6 months less than 50% (46% to be exact) are still on track. My experience is that by the second week all the good intentions are paving material.
However, if one was to make a resolution with the intention of keeping it, there are steps that “experts’ say lead to success. A very popular resoultion is “Get Fit”. OK, OK, I’ll admit it. Getting fit has been my sort of, kind of resolution for the last 4-5 years. IF I was to get really, really serious about this resolution here’s what I need to do. First, make it a commitment and not a wish. What’s the difference? A wish is something we hope for but don’t make a plan to achieve. Guess that means the picture of an incredibly fit Martina Navratilova, this year’s spokesperson for AARP Fitness, posted on my frig with the words “You too could look like Martina!” is not a commitment but a wish? Does motivation count?
Once the commitment is made (sigh!) the next step is the actual plan. So I guess that means that once a week moving the weights to dust under them is not a plan? Or, posting the workout routine on the frig without a chart with target dates doesn’t really count? Nope this plan has target dates, goals and a fallback plan for slip-ups! Drat! This is getting serious.
It’s also suggested to get a buddy. This is a great suggestion- except that my buddy’s are as much of a slug bait as I! We’ve all made the same New Year s resolution year after year- usually made New Year’s Eve while sipping a very fine cabernet. Joining a fitness club is another suggestion. If I had all the money I’ve spent on unused memberships I could spend 3 months at the Red Mountain Spa being pampered into fitness! AARP does have a free walking program, Get Fit on Route 66, that looks like a lot of fun… and motivational. Perhaps I’ll give that a try?
Well, there you have it. A process to keep a Get Fit New Year’s Resolution… if one was to make that kind of commitment. Me? I’m still at the “thinking stage”. After-all, New Year’s is 4 days away.
