As the cheers rang out on Jan. 1, marking the beginning of a new year, an onslaught of goals also flooded in. The most common resolutions have to do with losing weight and getting fit.
Michael Wolf, a business management major, said motivation is the secret trick to these health-conscious New Year’s goals.
“Make a plan on how to stay fit and when and where, set goals, then stick to that,” he said. “But an important part is to be motivated and stay motivated throughout the year.”
Katie Stiel, the manager of the Center for Student Wellness, said sleep is an often overlooked aspect of health resolutions.
“My number one tip, especially for college students who are aiming to be healthier this year, would be to try to get more sleep,” she said. “Some people have goals to be able to do a plank for thirty seconds or be able to do more squats, but sleep is crucial.”
Stiel also recommends using the new Student Life Center to get fit.
“The new student life building is beautiful and such a cool place to go and do physical activities with each other and to set goals that can be accomplished there,” she said.
She also said getting thin and building more muscle might not all be in the name of health; sometimes it’s just about looking attractive to others and yourself.
“Everyone wants to look good naked,” Stiel said. “I think that is why people make getting thinner or stronger such a priority during the new year. If you are under 25, you aren’t concerned with heart disease or diabetes or long-term health impacts.”
New Year’s resolutions are formed for a variety of reasons, but Wolf believes many of the health resolutions are made because the months leading up to January are crammed with big holiday meals and sugary foods.
“After Thanksgiving and Christmas and then the break, students have probably gotten bigger than desired [due to] leftover food and all,” he said. “Of course, they want to start new with the new year.”
Despite this, he said, it’s also hard to stick with a new healthy lifestyle, and some people drop their resolutions when they don’t see immediate changes.
“People get lazy, and they go back to their older ways and habits and lifestyles,” Wolf said. “They lose motivation after they constantly look in the mirror and do not see the results they are looking for. Then they become discouraged.”
Stiel said all health, from physical to emotional, is interconnected and that the different areas affect one another.
“People need to start realizing that wellness is really complex, and we have different faculties of our wellness,” she said.
@JulianneSkrivan