With the New Year just beginning, it is soon to be the season of forgotten gym memberships and failed diets. Almost everybody makes some sort of New Year’s resolution; however, approximately 8% of people actually keep these -usually unrealistic- goals.

Ask anyone what they plan to change about themselves in the New Year, and the majority of people will answer with ‘eat healthier’ or ‘exercise more.’  These seem like realistic expectations, but too many people try to rush into their new lifestyle. Exercise is obviously a constant in a healthy life, but starting without preparation or working too hard can lead to health problems or even mood disturbances.  Most of the time, this causes discouragement and eventually leads people to simply dropping their resolutions.  Even dieting can be unhealthy, such as when people suddenly drop their junk food and start ‘fad diets.’ Fad diets are extreme, unhealthy diets that promise nearly instant results. Unfortunately, many of them can shock people’s digestive systems and cause painful health problems.

Self-improvement is a sound thing to work towards, but making unrealistic goals causes many people to fail. So instead of doing daily cross-trek, or starting a carb-free diet, people should aspire to start small: trying to add more healthy greens to their diet, promising to go jogging a few times a week, or even remembering to drink more water. Easing into a new life will keep people encouraged and on track to be the people they wish to be in the New Year.