Day 31: Reconsider Your Resolutions
The scope of your New Year’s resolutions is just as important as the resolutions themselves. Sure, you want to lose weight and build strength, but do your resolutions line up with where you want to be in 10 years?
Research published in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine suggests that we’re more likely to meet our short-term goals if they align with our broader life goals.
One explanation has to do with what researchers call “self-determination theory”—we’re more likely to change our behavior to reach goals that are intrinsically motivated.
Put another way, “you’re more likely to stick to a weight loss goal if you’re motivated by feeling healthier than fitting in a smaller clothing size,” says study author Brie Turner-McGrievy, PhD, MS, RD, an assistant professor of health promotion, education, and behavior at the University of South Carolina.
