Every New Year, “Get Fit” and “Lose Weight” are among the most common resolutions. Unfortunately, resolutions themselves are often viewed as only delightful delusions.

But, despite this pervasive defeatism, research data demonstrates clear value in resolution making.

The Facts On Resolutions 

The first bit of encouraging news is that New Year’s resolutions remain relatively common, with %45 of North Americans participating last year according to University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology.

The growing sense of resolution doom and gloom is somewhat understandable, given the same study revealed that %36 of resolution makers had abandoned their goal within the first month.

But there’s plenty of good news, too.

For instance, among those who remain on course into at least February, only an additional %28 failed to make it into the second half of the year!

On top of that, success is not all that rare. Almost %50 of people have fulfilled at least some of their past resolutions and fewer than %25 report failing every single year. Better still, those who make specific resolutions are ten times more likely to achieve the same goal as those who desired it but made no explicit resolution.

So How Are You Doing So Far?

If you’re among the nearly two thirds of resolution makers who are still at it, you might need an energy boost. And if you didn’t make one this year, why not start it now? After all, you still have nearly %92 of the year left on February 1st! Here are our top-three bits of advice to help get you on track and keep you there.

1. Make Specific Short-Term Goals: When your resolution is fairly vague, like “Get Fit,” or clear but daunting, like “Lose 20 lbs.,” it helps to break your goal into smaller achievable steps, like “exercise for 30 minutes three times per week” or “lose five pounds before spring.” Also, it helps to reward yourself with goal-reinforcing goodies when you clear each small step. This could mean new gym gear or exercise equipment, stylish smaller clothes, or a delicious healthy meal out.

2. Focus On The Positives: It’s far too easy in our cynical age to feel smugly satisfied when we fail – just as we knew we would all along, right? Instead, always look for the one thing you did each day that helped you work toward fulfilling your resolution. Did you take the stairs when you could have avoided them? Great! Did you eat just one cookie when you normally have had three? Fantastic! Allow yourself to take pride in your own good choices and let that feeling inspire you keep becoming your best self.

3. Mindfulness is Half the Battle: The true secret to keeping a resolution, though this part may seem the least difficult on January 1st, is remembering that you made it. After all, a resolution you’ve pushed from your daily conscious mind is one you’ll be very unlikely to keep. It may help to maintain a resolution journal, or leave a reminder for yourself on a bookmark you’ll see often or a helpful note on the fridge.

Don’t be another unhappy statistic. Fight for your resolutions and you might even be surprised by how easy they can be to attain, and how much fun!

For more help sticking to your resolutions, Karp Fitness is happy to offer a $100 savings on a package of five personal training sessions to new customers in Vancouver and B.C.’s lower mainland, for a limited time. These sessions can be spaced out any way you like, so they can even be used to strategically refresh and refocus yourself throughout 2014.

Shaun Karp is a certified trainer and owner of Karp Personal Training in Vancouver, B.C.  For further information call (604) 420-7800 or visit his web site www.karpfitness.com.