How do I keep my new year's resolutions?

Each year on 1 January, people make a wide range of resolutions. In the new year I am going to start doing regular exercise! In the new year I will stop eating fast food! In the new year I will finally start drinking enough water!

We have all promised ourselves one of these things in the past. Perhaps it did even work for a few days. It is no coincidence that statistics show that 1 January is one of the days of the year with the most new gym registrations.

But of course, over the course of the year, these resolutions fall flat and people return to their usual habits. One of the reasons for this is that people simply try to take on too much. Turning your life upside down from one day to the next is not a realistic goal.

Another problem is that too many goals do not have a detailed enough structure.  What does it actually mean to eat more healthily? For one person, this may be simply giving up their daily chocolate bar. However, others may wish to change their diet completely. For active people, regular exercise may mean planning in an extra 2 training sessions. But for others, going running for half an hour each week may already be an enormous step up.

Therefore:

• Set realistic targets! Take a look at what you were doing before and try to increase that – just don't set the bar too high!
• Clearly define your goals! "More exercise" is not enough. When you make resolutions, state how often you really want to do something..
• Write down your resolutions. Something said quickly can also be quickly forgotten. Write down your goals and stick them onto the fridge or on doors so that they are always in sight.
• Reward yourself! If you really want to keep to your resolutions in a targeted manner, it can help to reward yourself when successful. Maybe a trip to the cinema, visiting friends or a bit of retail therapy.