We love good resolutions. 80% of French people admit to challenging themselves on January 1. But these New Year’s commitments are usually short-lived: 80% (again) of resolutions are cowardly dropped even before February. So how to do ?
It seems that the transition to the New Year gives us the opportunity to “be reborn”. After the two extraordinary years we have lived (the American magazine Time had even titled that 2020 was ” the worst year in history“), We all need it!
The top-3 of good resolutions
In 2021, a survey * shed light on the hopes and ambitions of our compatriots on the occasion of a new year, and it is very instructive.
If doing more sport (51%) and eating a balanced diet to lose weight (38%) continue to occupy the first two places in the list of things to improve, the priorities of the French have evolved since the pandemic and the episodes of containment.
The will to sleep better or from spend more time with loved ones now comes after that of travel more (29%) or even change professional situation. Some good resolutions like quitting drinking have almost disappeared from the radar.
To encourage you to evolve smoothly, we offer you this free guide which offers you 22 simple ideas to improve your lifestyle and take care of yourself.
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Nothing radical (we know that “good resolutions” have a ridiculous success rate), just suggestions for you to take a quiet look at your form, your health and your quality of life. No pressure, just to pay attention to yourself (a little more).
Small steps to take care of yourself
All small steps that we offer are relatively modest. But if you put them in place gradually, at your own pace, throughout the year, you can become a new person.
The one that will be closer to the ideal image you have of yourself. It’s worth it, right ?
Do more sport, lose 10 kilos or stop smoking, these are the resolutions that the French usually take at the start of the year, in order **. Oh yes, 80% of our fellow citizens admit to challenging themselves on January 1.
But these New Year’s “good resolutions” are usually short-lived: 80% (again) of resolutions are cowardly abandoned even before February.
In addition to the three major resolutions mentioned, the desire to sleep more now ranks in the top-5, while the decision to drink less alcohol lags far behind with just 7% of people affected.
Why good resolutions fail
Good resolutions fail because they are often too vague or, conversely, too ambitious.
Undertake several major changes at the same time important and radical in life at the same time (running a marathon, improving your sleep, stopping sugar, losing 15 kg, starting a business …), it is too much.
If these “good resolutions” don’t work, how can you hope to boost your health capital to live in better shape in the coming months?
What if we tried a series of small changes, less restrictive and easier to keep over time?
In our 2022 guide, we present a series of health actions that can integrate easily to your usual way of life.
These little changes don’t seem like much but, linked together, they will have real impacts on your life. Better, they will be favorable to your well-being.
No need to make big resolutions this year to take charge of your health, just take these small steps and you will slowly move towards a better quality of life.
How to stay the course?
Before adopting these health actions that will have a significant impact on your life this year, you must first transform them into concrete and measurable goals.
For example, if you decide to “eat more balanced”, that initially seems concrete to you, but is it really “measurable”? What does it correspond to concretely in your eyes?
Are you going:
- Buy a nutritionist’s book to follow your nutritional program?
- Make an appointment every month with a dietician?
- Bringing a healthy lunch to work every day instead of going to the canteen?
- Forcing yourself to consume the five servings of “prescribed” fruits and vegetables?
- Stop having a sweet dessert with every meal?
- Do the cooking yourself every night?
- Stop buying ultra-processed frozen meals?
Yes, what does “eat more balanced” mean to you?
The first health action to be observed is therefore to define the final objective (there may be several), but also the different ways to get there and how to measure the results.
For example, you can make a list of good eating practices and give yourself a point for each sticking to one. The objective is then to see if your total points progresses over the weeks and months.
This type of device will help you ensure that you stay on course towards the goal throughout the year.
* BuzzPress France survey for Gymlib with 10,602 French people (December 2020)
** Carnet de Santé annual barometer produced by Odoxa for the MNH, France Info and Le Figaro Santé (December 2019).
