Why do New Year’s Resolutions seem alarmingly similar to “giving up something for Lent”? I cringe when I think about elementary school Robin sitting in CCD class (Catholic Church school) each Sunday approaching Lent. Our teacher required each of us to announce to the class something that we would give up for the next 40 days. I would, inevitably, each year say “chocolate”, thinking how that was my absolute favorite treat and I would be so good and pious if I gave it up. I’d spend the next, roundabout 17 days thinking about how delicious chocolate is, smelling it everywhere, dreaming about diving into the chocolate river in Willy Wonka’s factory, finally giving in and having an oreo or eight from Dad’s stash, following said binge by feeling completely guilty about letting God, Jesus, Moses and myself down. This predates any body image issues too!
According to Forbes, 92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail miserably. And most last only 17 days. It’s Lent and guilt all over again. For 365 days. At least I’m not letting God down this time!
Common resolutions in the fitness and fat loss world sound like “I will lose 20 pounds” (perhaps a fine end result but it’s lacking a strategy), “I will eat less than 1000 calories a day” (could have disastrous results to metabolism, especially when exercising), or “I will give up all junk food” (how long will that really last?). If you must resolve and make a commitment to do something differently in 2015, I beg you to choose something flexible and moderate. Something whose parameters can change as you change and grow.
In her latest blog, XOJane made 3 resolutions that really spoke to me:
2012: I will dedicate a portion of income to buying new clothes that I like no matter what size they are, clothes that fit well — nothing tight, nothing that would fit in a few pounds, and nothing that I chose because it was “slimming”
2013: Stop moralizing food and start focusing on nutrients
2014: Spread the message of body acceptance and shut down body hatred
Check out her article http://www.xojane.com/healthy/healthy-new-years-resolutionss
A resolution about accepting my body was way healthier for me than starting another new diet.
LOVE it!
Robin Hersh Fitness 
Good suggestion to take abstract, unplanned or inevitly unachievable resolutions and replace them with achievable goals that aren’t daunting or setting the individual up for failure. Im going to incorporate this philosophy throughout my life.
I don’t think that eating an Oreo counts as “chocolate”. I’m just saying.