How to stick to your resolutions

Are you wondering how to stick to your resolutions? As we look forward to the year ahead, it’s common to seek opportunities for self-improvement. More than a quarter of Britons (27%) are planning resolutions for 2025 which is up from 16% in 2024.¹

Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the most common resolutions are health related. Specifically, 17% are pledging to get more fit in 2025, while 16% said they’re aiming to lose weight. 

Research shows that setting goals can significantly help with adherence to behaviours.² In fact, the relationship between goal and performance is strongest when you are committed, persist despite barriers and expend effort to accomplish goals.³

That said, many don’t manage to stick to their resolutions long term, with a recent survey finding that one in five gave up their resolutions after just five days.⁴ With our support, we’ll help you reach your health goals. So, read on to find out how to stick to your resolutions.

How to set resolutions

• Be realistic: You’re setting yourself up for failure if you set unrealistic goals. Make sure you consider what you can achieve with what resources you have available so you’re giving yourself the best chance of success.
• Make a commitment: Committing to a membership or programme like The Fast 800 Programme is a great way of incentivising yourself to keep going. If you’ve financially invested in your own health, you’ll be less likely to simply give up.
• Flip your mindset: Resolutions often involve avoidance-oriented goals, like giving up alcohol or stopping snacking. However, studies have found that goals which are approach-oriented are significantly more successful.⁵ So, try goals that involve adding something healthy or positive to your life or mindset.
• Write it down: Writing your resolutions down helps to solidify your goal and make it tangible. Try also targeting where you keep your goals written. For example, if you’re aiming to eat more healthily, write that goal on a sticky note and stick it to the fridge, or if you’re planning to work out each week write it in your weekly calendar.
• Break it down: While bigger goals can feel overwhelming, bite-size goals will feel more achievable so chunk your resolution into smaller tasks. It’ll be much more motivating to celebrate small successes more regularly, rather than feel deterred by how far you are from a big goal. 

New Year’s resolution ideas 

If you’re struggling to know where to start with setting health goals for 2025, here are ten ideas to get you going: 

1. I will do some form of exercise three times a week.
2. I will try eating a Mediterranean-style diet.
3.  I will practise mindfulness for five minutes a day.
4. I will aim to eat 60g of protein every day.
5. I will try a fun new form of exercise (like yoga, rowing, trampolining, dancing or HIIT).
6. I will reduce my alcohol intake and explore different drinks instead.
7. I will lose 5lb in January (and continue on each month I succeed until I’m at a healthy weight).
8. I will aim to drink more water every day.
9. I will find healthy alternatives, like supplement shakes, for when I have a snack craving.
10. I will speak more kindly to myself.

How to stick to your resolutions

• Track your progress: On a set day each week or month, have a moment where you reflect and track your progress. This could be on a phone note or in a helpful app like The Fast 800 Programme which tracks your progress for you. Seeing how far you’ve come will ensure you’re more likely to keep wanting to move forwards with your goals.
• Stay accountable: Get friends and family involved in your goals to have more accountability. If you have others who know your resolutions, they can help to bolster your motivation if it drops, and can cheer you on in your success. Better yet, find a friend who wants to join. Studies have shown that having an exercise buddy, for example, helps to keep up motivation longer term.⁶
• Get prepared ahead of time: The phrase ‘by failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail’ is very true when it comes to goal setting. Make sure you’re well set up in advance for success so that when it comes to it, you have as few barriers as possible; set gym clothes out the night before, plan your healthy meals for the week, or book in-person workout classes in advance.
• Reward yourself: Giving yourself rewards for your resolution successes can be key to keeping up motivation. While you may want to set a bigger reward (like a holiday) for when you’ve achieved a big goal, it’s also important to have smaller, more immediate rewards (like a peaceful cup of tea) to maintain momentum and motivation.

Tips for weight loss resolutions

If you’re aiming to lose weight in the new year, these top tips are sure to help you reach a healthier weight in an enjoyable and healthy way:

1. Plan your meals: Plan your meals in advance, and buy groceries accordingly, to keep impulsive food choices at bay. If you need a little help with the planning, our Programme has individual meal plans tailored to your goals and tastes, complete with automated shopping lists for ease.
2. Have a backup option: No matter how well we plan our meals, there will be busy days when we don’t have time to cook. Finding a nutritious backup option will reduce the need to reach for unhealthy convenience food. Try our range of shakes, which are packed full of protein and fibre to satiate you on those days you need a quick fix.
3. Find a routine that works for you: Getting into a good routine is the key to turning a new lifestyle into effortless habits. Whether you’re crafting a new sleep routine, trying intermittent fasting or incorporating exercise into your week, figuring out a routine that works for you is vital for keeping up your efforts long term.
4. Build a support system: AAs we said, having people to support you and hold you accountable helps keep you on track. The same can be said for finding support systems of others who have similar goals to you. This is why we created our exclusive member’s Community where you’ll find like-minded people with the same health goals as you to connect with.
5. Try mindfulness: Practising mindfulness has been shown to improve mental health, improve sleep and even help you lose weight sustainably.^7,8,9 Take time each day to be aware of your breath and surroundings, or try any of our programme’s guided meditation resources, and see the difference it could make in your health journey.

How The Fast 800 Programme can help

The Fast 800 Programme was developed to house everything you need to help you achieve your goals in a healthy, enjoyable way, including meal plans, shopping lists, success trackers, exercise videos, communities and mindfulness resources.

Backed by science, our approaches are proven to achieve incredible results. Simply take a look at our members’ success stories and see for yourself. With members often losing weight in the first five days of being on the programme, you’re sure not to be part of the one-in-five statistic of those who give up on their resolutions in the first week.

Sign up to your 7-day free trial of The Fast 800 Programme today and transform your life in 2025!