At 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, people from all over the world blasted fireworks, popped champagne and promised to make changes in their lives. A popular resolution is to lose weight or live healthier, but it is often a promise of the New Year that remains unfulfilled.
According to a study from the University of Scranton's Journal of Clinical Psychology, as much as 25 percent of people drop this resolution within the first week and less than half can keep their eyes on the prize before summer.
Junior English major Errol Rivers began his weight-loss journey a year and a half - and 150 pounds - ago. Rivers said the key to his success is following fitness professionals like Shaun T, Chalene Johnson and ManKoFit on Instagram because they post inspirational quotes, fitness tips and healthy recipes that inspire him to stay committed to his goals.
On campus, there are programs to help students stick to their fitness resolutions such as the Healthy U initiative. What started as a tobacco-free initiative in 2011 by the Student Government Association has grown to promote better nutrition and physical activity on campus.
According to the Campus Health Report, the percentage of overweight or obese students dropped 6 percent since the SGA's initial decision.
Part of the Healthy U initiative is a program called Midday Moves - a free, 15 to 20 minute planned workout on weekdays at 12:30 p.m.
Kenneth Johnson, junior dance and nonprofit management major and a Midday Moves instructor, said it's effective because it's something students can do weekly with friends that's fun.
"It was an eye-opening experience," Johnson said. "Seeing the draw we had on people passing by and watching the small group turn into a crowd was inspiring."
More individual fitness assessments can be found in the Campus Recreation Center. Personal trainers can create a fitness plan based on body fat, composition, blood pressure, flexibility and strength.
"After (the winter) vacation we get a lot of students asking about our fitness assessments," said Ebonie Cobb, fitness and wellness graduate assistant.
She says the key to success is having specific, measurable, attainable and realistic goals. According to Cobb, students who stop pursuing their plans do so because they have too big of a goal in too short of a time period.
In order to reach that objective, a plan is made to optimize each workout. According to the Rec Center's website, every three to four months the personal trainer makes revisions and updates to keep steady weight loss and fitness goals.
Students who are interested in hiring a personal trainer can pay $30 an hour and $150 for a six-lesson package. For more information, visit memphis.edu/cris.
