In the New Year many of us will be looking to make a new start. Whether it’s getting off the bus a stop early and walking to work or pledging to eat a healthy breakfast every day, millions of people around the UK will be aiming to make positive changes to improve their current lifestyle.

But with a long, cold January looming ahead of us, how long do you expect to keep your New Year’s resolutions for?

With this in mind, The Great Willpower Report conducted by Professor Richard Wiseman, studied nearly 2,000 people to find out how long they could keep to their resolutions using willpower alone. After vowing to make small changes to their lifestyle, including not drinking alcohol at home, reducing their children’s screen time and walking to the shops instead of driving, respondents were set the task of keeping to their resolution for as long as possible.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the report showed that more than half of respondents quit less than a week after revealing their best intentions. The results ultimately demonstrated that a reliance on willpower alone is not enough to help people stick to their commitments.

The experiment was carried out for a new campaign from Change4Life called the Great Swapathon which is encouraging people to pick a healthy ‘swap’ as their New Year’s resolution, and offering advice and help on how to achieve it.

In our live WebTV show we will be joined by Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire. He will be offering his advice on how to succeed with your New Year’s resolutions and shedding light on why willpower alone is often not enough to change your life for the better.

Professor Richard Wiseman joins us live online at www.studiotalk.tv on Thursday 6th January at 13:00 to discuss New Year’s resolutions.

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/change4life

H: Lis Speight, host
A: Richard Wiseman, Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire

H: With a new year come New Year’s resolutions. No doubt some of which will include plans for a healthier lifestyle

Titles

H: Hello and welcome to Health & Wellbeing, I’m Lis Speight. Now if you’re planning to have a healthier 2011 you’ve come to the right place because joining me today is the professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, Richard Wiseman. Welcome along Richard, really great to see you today

A: Pleasure to be here

H: Now I understand that you’ve been working with the government’s Change 4 life campaign to help people stick to their healthy resolutions this year and have some fantastic tips for us today on how we can stay motivated in our quest to eat well, move more, drink less and live longer. That’s quite a list there and we’re going to be telling people, or giving people advice on how to stick to their resolutions, so stick with us. Now we are streaming live today so if you have any questions for Richard please use the box on your screen and we will do our best to tackle them over the course of the next 15 minutes or so. And if you’re on Twitter use the # tag studiotalktv. Coming up on today’s show we look in detail at how you can achieve your New Year’s Resolutions and all your questions will be answered live. Now Richard let’s start by talking about this experiment that was carried out, with almost 2000 people in the UK to find out how long they keep to their resolutions using will power alone. So tell us a little bit about the findings – 2000 people, that’s quite a good number actually isn’t it?

A: It was a great response, so it was a two week experiment, where we said to people we want to change one aspect of your life, really to do with health, so moving into a healthier lifestyle, and then we monitored them throughout the two week period, and also asked them what it was they were doing, how they were going about that period of change, were they using will power, were they telling their friends and so on, and we could see that most people didn’t do particularly well

H: Right, there’s a surprise!

A: Yes I suppose so. They kind of struggled, particularly within that first week

H: Right

A: So most of the dropouts were pretty early on, and when it came to willpower that really wasn’t a great way forward. Lots of people were saying you know I’ve got this great strength of mind, all I need to do is set my mind to it, I’ll be fine – and actually it turned out those are the ones that tended to fail

H: Oh right. So where are we going wrong then? How do we stick to our New Year’s Resolutions?

A: Well the experiment gave us a few sort of hints about that as well. We could see that if people were telling their friends and family, then those people tended to be very supportive, that’s more true of women than it is for guys

H: Right, what women making the resolutions or women doing the supporting?

A: Well both, so when women tell their female friends that they’re trying to lose weight or whatever, their friends tend to be quite supportive

H: Right

A: When guys did it to their male friends they tended to try and undermine the resolution and change as quickly as possible

H: Ah interesting psychology

A: So quite different there. But that was certainly a very helpful thing to be doing. Also the notion of actually being quite persistent, which sounds kind of straightforward, and a lot of people would say you know I’m try8ing to lose weight, I found I was at the cookies and that was it for me, the whole thing was over

H: Right

A: All my resolutions collapsed. When in fact what you need to do is see that as a temporary setback and know that you can be successful in the long run

H: So if you fall off the wagon, you have the odd glass of wine, don’t give up?

A: Absolutely, it’s very easy to think oh my goodness I haven’t got the willpower to continue, when actually the people that were continuing and were successful just saw that as a temporary setback, they didn’t take it personally, they didn’t see it as part of their psychological make-up, it was just a small setback and they were going to be successful in the long run

H: So you got some key tips as to how to keep our resolutions, we’ve touched on a few of them, but making one resolution is maybe a good place to start, rather than trying to change your whole life on January 1st

A: Another thing people commonly – common mistake – is they’ll say I’m going to change everything, I’m going to stop smoking, I’m going to have a healthier diet, I’m going to get to the gym every day and so on. It’s not going to work

H: No

A: Changing old habits does really require quite a lot of effort, a lot of focus. So really just choose the one thing you want to change and really try and make it as concrete as possible. So don’t’ just say “I want to lose some weight” – really say “this is how much weight I want to lose, and here’s my plan, you know this is how much by the end of January, this is how much by the end of February, so you know whether you’re on track

H: And doing something with a friend, do you think that helps? I know sort of losing weight, friends of mine have been to Weight Watchers and what have you and if you do it with a friend it’s actually much easier if you’ve got someone to compete with and also someone to encourage you. Is that a good idea when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions?

A: Yes I mean that’s a kind of extension of the support network, that there you’ve got somebody who’s going through all the same sort of cravings as you and it’s nice to compare notes and so on, it’s also helpful if the two of you do actually chart your progress, so if you do have a journal or whatever, however you want to do it, so you actually know where you are in the process

H: Or maybe going running with someone every Monday night so you can’t get out of it

A: And there you’ve hit upon an important point, that by actually saying not just I’m going to running but it’s going to happen on a Monday night at this particular time, is really, really helpful

H: Right

A: So that notion of really having a very, very detailed plan there

H: And I suppose when you start seeing results, that really helps as well, if you stick with it for a few weeks and you get into the sort of hang of it, into the swing of it, and you start seeing results, that’s going to spur you on as well

A: Yes and actually the opposite is true as well, sometimes people don’t see results and get very dispirited

H: Right

A: So you have to realise this is about breaking old habits

H: Right

A: This is about a change and you’re not going to see results straight away

H: Old habits die hard as the saying goes

A: Absolutely and people underestimate how difficult change is, but they also set the bar pretty high. They say something like you know I’m going to go to the gym every day, and that’s ridiculous, I mean a key part of the Change 4 Life initiative is about saying these are small swaps, it’s about a relatively small thing such as grilling food rather than frying it, it’s a small thing to do, very easy thing to do but actually has a very big impact. So again important to kind of set the bar at the right level

H :So maybe start small and build it up like rather than saying I’m going to go running 5 miles on a Monday night, just maybe take one less stop on the bus and walk that or run that, run home, something like that?

A: Absolutely there’s great places to start, so for example taking the stairs rather than the escalator if you’ve got that choice, just getting you into the mindset of your the sort of person that does exercise or you’re the sort of person that eats a healthy diet. So trying to change the way in which you see yourself is really important to this

H: So what’s the benefit of having a New Year’s Resolution at this time of year rather than say starting it in June when it’s light and if you’re going to go running you can go in the light, and if you’re going to diet you can get in your bikini – I mean January is a kind of a hard month isn’t it to crack on with changing your life

A: It is a tricky month, it has its downsides as you say and actauly you can change at any point, and if things don’t go so well this time round you can start again in February, there’s no hard and fast rule. However, culturally it’s a time when lots of people are trying to change, obviously with New Year’s Resolutions, and so that notion that we’re all in it together I think is a helpful one

H: Ok and why do some people fail and others don’t? I mean some people say I’m going to run the marathon, and they do. Whereas if I’d say that I just wouldn’t, I would fail totally. Is it just some people have better willpower than others?

A: Well there’s probably some of that going on but the fact is that if you rely on willpower you’re actually setting yourself up to fail, so all the things we’ve been talking about, just having the one tip, making a small swap, involving friends and family – those are the key things which will lead you to success. Don’t rely on willpower. Yes there are some people that can do it just by willing themselves to do it, but they are few and far between

H: And how about previous resolutions then, if you’ve failed one year should you sort of try again this year or should you just give up and go for something else?

A: Well psychologically the sort of healthiest state of mind is that you’re in control of your life. If you feel you’re not in control you become very fatalistic and then that’s not so good for you. So the problem is if there’s some really hard nut to crack and you’ve tried again and again and again, it can make you feel quite fatalistic, so I think the best move is to try something new. Hasn’t worked out in the past, you know try something new or try a different way of getting at it – if one sort of exercise didn’t work out for you, try something else, try a different sport of whatever it is

H: Ok. Interesting stuff, well Richard stick with us, and don’t go anywhere because coming up next we’ll tackle all of your questions here live

Break

H: If you’ve just joined us I’m Lis Speight and today I’m speaking with professor Richard Wiseman, and we’re discussing how you can stick to your New Year’s resolutions and adopt a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. Now let’s take a look at some of your live questions and comments that have come in. We’ve had one in from Natalie, she says “I want to lose weight and give up smoking. Am I crazy to attempt both at the same time?” Is she crazy or is she just optimistic?

A: Well I think she’s being wildly optimistic there, so my advice to Natalie, would be just to focus on one of those two. I mean they’re both great goals to have and maybe it’s one, and then move onto the other. I think if you’re trying to do all of that it’s probably a little bit too much. So obviously giving up smoking’s great, you know healthier lifestyle and all of that. But one step at a time I think is sensible.

H: Yes because when you give up smoking everyone says that you get really hungry and you sort of eat sweets and what have you, and if you’re trying to do both at once you’ll probably fail at once, whereas if you achieve one, it’s better than none

A: And then move on, absolutely

H: Okey doke, lovely. Well Natalie best of luck with that, we do wish you every success. Another question in from Sarah Marcomb, she says “I always feel under so much pressure to get healthy but can’t seem to find the time. Can you advise me where I should even start?” Finding time to exercise – there’s always something good on the telly isn’t there?

A: Well that’s right, I mean you can procrastinate, you can keep on putting these things off, so I think you just need to draw a line in the sand and say this is it, it starts today, not tomorrow, it starts today. But there are some great resources out there, so the Change 4 Life website, if people put that into a search engine it will come up, fantastic resources. So there’s a sort of online quiz which will take you through to which swaps are healthier, lifestyle swaps that are best for you, and there’s information on how to achieve it, and also where they can get these book of vouchers which will mean that some of the healthier options in terms of food, there’s sort of reductions on them

H: Oh right that’s good isn’t it?

A: A great place to start

H: Excellent, and it’s good to encourage your kids as well isn’t it, at this time of year, because we’ve eaten so much chocolate over Christmas haven’t we and drunk far too much, I know I have, and it’s nice to kind of have a bit of cleansing time in January isn’t it, chuck out the chocs, get them all eating bananas instead! Ok more of your questions, Peter Ryan has sent one in, he says “Is there actually any point in setting yourself new year’s resolutions?” Is there a point to it?

A: Well I think the point is it is a great time to change, and everyone can lead a healthier lifestyle, you know it may not be that everyone’s going to be enormously healthy and athletic through the whole of the year and so on, that’s a ridiculous goal

H: Well speak for yourself!

A: Great if you have that goal, but it really isn’t about attaining great heights, it’s just nudging yourself in the right direction and these sort of small changes, these kind of drinking fruit juice rather than the sort of sugary drinks

H: Right

A: These small things have a big impact, I think that’s one of the key messages here

H: Ok. Right, moving on. Robert Bruton has sent one in, a question, “Would you advise working in tandem wit ha friend or family member to achieve your New Year’s goals? I’m always trying to get my wife to join me when I go for a run.” We touched on that a little bit earlier didn’t we? Husband and wife running, is that a good tip or not?

A: As long as – as long as it doesn’t get too competitive

H: Yes one with a really long stride, one with a tiny stride

A: Absolutely, so as long as you’re helping one another, and you’re not in straight competition I think it’s a great thing to be doing, particularly if it’s paired up with that all important when is it going to happen, because otherwise the two of you are going to make up excuses for each other – you can’t make it now, I can’t make it tomorrow, let’s not do it at all. So it has to be ok, Wednesday, 8 o’clock, that’s when we go running or that’s when we go to the gym, or whatever it is, so the two of you having those shared goals I think would be very successful

H: Yes but choose your running partner or your dieting partner, because I think my husband would be awful for me because I have chocolate he says “you’re supposed to be on a diet” and I say “oh shut up” whereas if it was a friend I’d take it better from them, so

A: Absolutely

H: So choose your partner carefully really. Ok well good luck with that, good luck with the running. Another question in from Steve McCowan “do you think it’s more important to change the way you think than the way you act to help change your lifestyle?” Deep, that’s a good one for you isn’t it, a psychologist!

A: Well it depends how you take that question, certainly the key thing is to work on behaviour, you know what really matters is how you actually behave, are you eating those unhealthy foods, are you actually going to the gym? Whatever. But of course that flows from how you see yourself and that’s key here, so you need to be making those small steps that change how you see yourself, now you think I’m not the sort of person that has all the biscuits as soon as I open the packet, I’m the sort of person that restrains myself and eats more healthily, and then those behavioural changes will flow from that. So again it’s that small step that leads to a change in how you see yourself that lend the big changes. So this stuff doesn’t need to be difficult, don’t set that bar too high

H: Ok, there is help for people who are struggling because the website is really good isn’t it?

A: The website’s fantastic and as you said before it’s not only for adults, there’s kids swaps on there as well, so again this simple idea of go on there, very concrete ideas for how you can swap unhealthy behaviour for something a bit healthier

H: Ok. And before we go, because we’ve run out of time I’m afraid, what’s your new year’s resolution?

A: Mine’s straightforward and actually from the website which is swapping the going up the stairs for the escalator, so whenever I’m in that situation I choose the stairs and it’s working out alright actually

H: Well done, good on you. Good luck with that. Well that’s all we have time for today so thanks so much to Richard for joining me

A: Pleasure

H: And thank you for watching and if you’d like further advice or ideas on making healthier choices you can search for “Change 4 life” online. Well thanks very much for watching, I’m going to lose weight, that’s my plan so not so much chocolate for me. Thanks very much for watching and we’ll see you next time. Bye bye