One in Five Americans Expected to Set New Year Resolutions
Last January, an estimated 45 million Americans, or approximately one in five adults, set an average of three New Year resolutions each, according to the results of a nationwide phone survey conducted in December by LifeTango.com.
Battle of the ‘Bulge’ and ‘Budget’ Top the List
Of those setting resolutions, nearly three in four set a resolution related to diet, weight loss, or exercise — not surprising when you consider that two-thirds of American adults are overweight and about one in three is considered to be obese, according to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
   The second most common resolutions were financial and budget-related, also not surprising considering debt statistics. According to the Consumer Federation of America, the average household with debt carries $10,000 to $12,000 in total revolving debt. Within this context, and on the heels of holiday shopping sprees that see credit-card debt spike each year, roughly two in five Americans who set resolutions hoped to control their spending or improve their financial situation.
Friends, Internet Offer Support
In the study, LifeTango.com found that people who set resolutions with another person were 40 percent more likely to accomplish those resolutions. As a result, managers of the site recommend finding a friend or family member who will work on a resolution with you. Another suggestion is to write down your resolutions or record them on a computer or the internet. LifeTango.com founder Brent Johnson notes, “Though only one in four people setting resolutions recorded them, those that did were 25 percent more likely to accomplish their goals.” LifeTango.com helps in both ways by giving users free tools to help them record their goals and resolutions and track their progress.
I’ve just signed up and it looks really cool!!
January 9th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Thank you, Brigid, for highlighting LifeTango. We’ve had amazing response over the past couple of weeks as people use LifeTango to set their New Year’s Resolutions.
One of the most popular features on the site is the Brainstorming Wizard, which helps people get the creative juices flowing by helping them think about places they want to go, things they want to learn, and more. You can access the Brainstorming Wizard from a link at the bottom of the homepage.
Thanks again.
Brent
March 17th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Certainly, losing weight has always been my top resolutions every year. Don’t ask anymore how each resolution went every year. Still, there is no giving up on losing weight. So long as New Years keep coming, I will be drawing up my resolutions.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Certainly, losing weight has always been my top resolutions every year. Don’t ask anymore how each resolution went every year. Still, there is no giving up on losing weight. So long as New Years keep coming, I will be drawing up my resolutions.