And so it begins. The time of year when the gym parking lot suddenly has twice as many cars. You find a space at the end of the lot, walk to the gym, and there they are. With their brand new (matching) gym clothes, sneakers, and airpods. Pounding away on the treadmill, precor, or bench press. You enter the locker room, see all the shiny new gym bags, and notice your normal locker is taken. As is the one to the left and right. You sigh in resignation and shrug. You’re simply going to have to put up with it for the mandatory 3-4 weeks. Knowing all to well, that by February, the parking lot, gym and locker room will be back to normal.

Welcome New Years Resolution Repeaters

We’ve all seen it and been there. According to a Pew Research study, 79% of people who make New Year’s resolutions say that their resolutions are related to improving their health. And one of the most popular New Years resolutions people make, regardless of their age, is losing weight.

But according  to Dr. Sonja Rosen MD, FACP, AGSF, the medical director of geriatrics at Cedars-Sinai, who specializes in helping seniors live their healthiest life, while it is true there is a connection between maintaining a healthy weight and longevity, she is not a fan of weight loss-related New Year’s resolutions. “While it is certainly important to lose weight if your weight is causing a health issue, dieting just to become a specific weight or a smaller clothing size isn’t always a sustainable goal.”

Research shows the average American gives up on their resolution within the first week and 43% quit before the end of January. Additionally, scientific research shows that fad diets are actually linked to gaining weight in the long term.

In fact, the worst resolutions to make when considering longevity are extreme dieting and excessive exercise.

So what are better more sustainable resolutions?

“Focus instead on being more active, ideally doing something you enjoy, or making healthier food changes. [These resolutions] will likely be more sustainable in the long run and it will make you happy!” says Dr. Rosen.

Something as simple as committing to taking a 30 minute walks every day, or finding an eating plan that’s scientifically backed to increase lifespan and isn’t restrictive. One he personally recommends is the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, foods high in unsaturated fats (like fish and olive oil) while minimizing foods high in sugar or salt. Research shows that people who follow the Mediterranean diet live an average of 4.4 years longer than those who don’t follow it.

For those who smoke or vape, taking manageable steps to quit is an excellent resolution. Even if you’ve been smoking for decades, quitting can still have a major impact on your health with respect to lung cancer and heart disease.

Takeaway

Stop smoking, eat healthier, perhaps by trying one new Mediterranean diet-friendly recipe a week, and start and commit to going on a 30 minute walk each day. Once you see the immediate improvements in your life with these attainable baby steps, you can then progress towards more aggressive steps to better health and increased longevity. Perhaps joining a gym or yoga class. Because while the majority of the January gym newbies drop off by February, there are always that handful that stick around permanently.