This is the time of the new year when our recently made resolutions are put to the test. Were they holiday-fueled imaginings or meaningful expressions of our heart's true desires? Are our resolutions sturdy things that will help us carry out our goals and plans for the rest of the year or are they flimsy constructs composed of hopes rather than substance? Many of us will be faced with this conundrum shortly after the New Year’s celebrations have concluded and how we respond can have a significant impact on the rest of our lives.

When it comes to resolutions to improve our health and well-being: We know we should remain committed, but problems often arise when we attempt to put this knowledge into practice. For example, many people enshrine the same health-related goals into their annual New Year's resolutions list year after year but never succeed at accomplishing what they set out to do. New Year’s proclamations such as losing weight, working out more, and eating better, are reasonable, appropriate, and laudable. The catch, however, is that for most of us our dedication to health-related plans doesn't last much beyond a few weeks. So how can one find the motivation to keep firm in their resolutions?  

The way to succeed in your 2017 resolutions is to approach each day for what it really is - a new day and opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the health and well-being of our families and ourselves.1,2 By recognizing that we have a daily opportunity to refresh and reaffirm our New Year's resolutions, we gain the freedom to implement our resolutions each time we get out of bed in the morning. In this way, throughout the course of the new year, we will continually rejuvenate our commitments to ourselves. And, by fulfilling our resolutions, we will reap a harvest of unexpected bounty, including long-term health and well-being.3

_{1. Lesinski M, et al: Effects and dose-response relationships of resistance training on physical performance in youth athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med . 50(13):781-795, 2016}

_{2. Miller MG, et al: Role of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables in Maintaining Cognitive Health. Exp Gerontol 2016 Dec 20.pii: S0531-5565(16)30606-4. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.12.014. [Epub ahead of print]}

_{3. Bouaziz W, et al: Health benefits of multicomponent training programmes in seniors: a systematic review. Int J Clin Pract 70(7):520-356, 2016}