Stop smoking, eat less, cut out sweets and get a better job.

All New Year’s resolutions are made every year and typically broken shortly after.

Yes, each year, nearly 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Many resolutions are forgotten by mid-February because they lack specificity, are unrealistic, or the person lacks the support system needed to carry through, according to a news release

Further, each person and new habit will require varying amounts of time for them to become “automatic.” Studies show a new habit can take 18 to 254 days to be established (the average rate being 66 days).

Establishing Resolutions

When resolutions are established without a diversity of resources to engage with (e.g. workouts, lessons, strategies), long-term support, a detailed plan, and social motivation, they tend to be abandoned. To support healthy lifestyles beyond the January push, BurnAlong  is an online health, wellness, and fitness platform that works with leading employers, insurers, municipalities, non-profits, and health systems that provide BurnAlong for their employees, members, and patients.

It surveyed 2,500+ health and wellness instructors on the BurnAlong platform for advice on sticking to healthy habits.

Each survey respondent has credentials and certifications in their area of expertise ranging from fitness trainers to financial consultants, nutrition to sleep specialists, physical therapists to mental health professionals, and from yoga instructors to cancer wellness experts. Instructors provided their top advice to help members start and stick to new habits. The survey results show:

  • 66% of BurnAlong instructors recommend starting small and manageable with your goals
  • 46% suggest writing your goals down and making them visible
  • 44% say you should celebrate small wins as you go, rather than waiting until the end
  • 34% recommend a method called habit stacking which means you add your new habit to an existing habit— for instance:
  • Meditate for 2 minutes after you pour your first cup of coffee each day
  • 32% advised you commit to a “where, when, and what” schedule for consistency
  • 24% said you should get a friend or family member to commit to the habit with you
  • 23% suggest mentally visualizing your end goal

“We are committed to supporting healthy habits throughout the year in partnership with our expert instructors,” said Daniel Freedman, co-CEO of Burnalong. “For new habits to be effective, it requires meeting each individual wherever they are in their wellness journey with the personalized recommendations and support to help them reach their unique goals. ”

BurnAlong helps people achieve their health and wellness goals by giving them unparalleled access to more than 2,500+ instructors, teaching live and on-demand wellness classes across more than 45 categories —from traditional fitness to nutrition, financial wellness, adaptive workouts, chronic conditions, and more — for the entire family. People can take classes alone or live with others where they can see and hear each other for added social motivation.

Source: BurnAlong