January is a resolution month. That’s the time when most people make their New Year resolutions, but it’s only the fortunate few who can keep them. Not a bad custom if you can keep it.
According to the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, about 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions each year. Losing weight, stop smoking, getting oneself organized and managing finances are the most popular resolutions.
Keeping New Year’s resolution can be difficult so shrewd marketers have come up with aps which can help people get organized and keep track of their exercise routine. People aiming to improve their health can turn to fitness trackers for the iPhone, thus allowing them to keep you on track minute-to-minute and hour-to-hour.
January is not a very eagerly-awaited month. According to Toronto psychotherapist Nicole McCance, it could be the timing that plays a major part. In January, everyone is tired, sick (remember it’s the flu season in Alberta this year), recovering from hangovers from the holiday festivities and the month’s weather is miserable to say the least.
“I honestly believe that the number would be much higher if it was June 1st. The days are sunny, the days are longer; I think we’d be much more successful–we’d have much more energy in the summer,” says McMcance.
Those who plan to get up early next day to start running have to sacrifice an hour of sleep. And there are few men who prefer 5 a.m. winter pavement-pounding to sleep.
In January, Canadian winters are brutal and with roads not cleared for weeks, it’s hardly an ideal setting for runners. Recent weather that we have been experincing, not only in Alberta, but elsewhere in the country, proves the point without a shadow of doubt.
However, there are some fanatic exercise addicts who overcome the above obstacle by going to the gym without any problem. There are more chances of fulfilling your resolution if you link up with such a person. Working out with others would help people to achieve their goals.
One of the most popular resolutions is to quit smoking. I am sure you have a friend, relative or someone you know who has tried to quit smoking and failed. One of my brothers is a chain smoker and he has tried several times to quit but went back to his bad habit, though less than before. I have seen him smoke one cigarette four times and that way smoke one cigarette a day instead of four complete ones. That still shows some improvement on the way to complete abstinence.
But now there is something called an e-cigarette, a battery-powered device, which simulates tobacco smoking. I learnt about e-cigarette during my recent visit to London, England, where it has become a big hit. On my return flight to Canada, I saw a passenger a few seats away, smoking away until the steward came and made him stop. The benefits and risks of electronic cigarette use are so far uncertain.
I don’t know if you noticed that all of a sudden, January is the time when ads on television become more frequent and newspapers are full of flyers – all wooing the public to weight reducing programmes and keep fit classes. There are reduced rates and special incentives aimed at those of us who have gained a few inches across the waist.
Montreal-based Dr. Mitch Shulman suggests proper planning is essential for successful exercise or any other resolution that you may have made. Shulman suggests writing down why you want to do whatever you want to do, and keeping your notes with you at all times, so that in moments of weakness, you can read it to remind yourself why the resolution is important.
I used to make resolutions but I quickly found that I couldn’t keep them. So this year, I have decided to look back at 2013 and ask myself: What’s the biggest lesson I’m taking into this year? Where did I go wrong last year? What’s the biggest thing I went through?
Thus adding and subtracting last year’s performance and record, I feel confident to go ahead and accept 2014.
