Happy Quitter’s Day!
Although the actual date is somewhat up for debate, many in the industry peg the second Friday in January as “Quitter’s Day,” or the day when most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions. We shared some tips on our blog last week on how you can work to keep your health-focused New Year’s resolutions, and we recommend reading up on that advice because sticking by your resolutions won’t happen by accident. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at Quitter’s Day and why so few people stick with their New Year’s resolutions.
Quitter’s Day And New Year’s Resolutions Facts
Many in the health world mark the second Friday in January as Quitter’s Day, and while many people do abandon their resolutions by this day, others hold out a little bit longer. A recent study took a closer look at New Year’s resolutions and our ability to adhere to the goals we set for ourselves by asking 999 people if they set a goal for themselves in January. A total of 815 people said that they set at least one goal for themselves, suggesting that most people do in fact set New Year’s resolutions.
However, for many, those best laid plans go awry pretty quickly. Researchers found that 32.2% of people stopped pursuing their goals in January, and that number jumped to 63.5% by the end of February. By June, only 6.5% of people were still committed to the goals they set for the New Year.
One bright spot from the study was that people who were committed to health and wellness goals tended to fare better than those who set other types of goals for themselves. People who set fitness-related goals were the most likely to stick with their goals long term, as 9.6% were still pursuing their goals by the end of June. That’s still a small number, but it’s nearly double the average across all resolutions, and that’s a start.
So what are some of the most common types of New Year’s resolutions that people set for themselves in the New Year? According to a 2024 Statistica study, the five most common New Year’s resolutions were:
1. Save more money (21%)
2. Eat healthier (19%)
3. Exercise more (17%)
4. Lose weight (15%)
5. Spend more time with family or friends (14%)
We hope that you can push through Quitter’s Day and keep your New Year’s resolutions on track, and be sure to check out these tips if you want some additional assistance developing healthy habits that will stick. We want you to become the healthiest version of yourself in 2025, and sticking to your New Year’s resolutions can certainly help with that.
Wishing you all a wonderful 2025! ~ Dr. Lance Silverman