Up to 80% fail to keep their New Year Resolutions by Quitter’s Day – stick at it, urges expert!

By the second Friday in January, up 80% of UK adults have already failed to keep their New Year’s Resolutions. That’s why today is known as ‘Failure Friday’ or ‘Quitter’s Day’. If your Resolutions are based around healthier living and cutting back on alcohol you should consider new ways to stick to your goals, says a leading alcohol reduction expert.

New research from Sinclair Method UK, specialists in medically supervised alcohol reduction, has revealed that half of all UK adults made at least one Resolution at the beginning of the year, but up to 80% of us fail to make it past the second Friday in January. There’s no wonder that it’s come to be known as ‘Failure Friday’ or ‘Quitter’s Day’. The sad truth is that only 9% of us are likely to last the year.

While some of our Resolutions will be ‘nice to haves’, such as learning a new skill, 45% of people make a Resolution around losing weight, getting into shape or cutting back on alcohol. The consequences of giving up on these resolves can be serious, though any decisions to improve health is an important first step.

Harvey Bhandal, MD of Sinclair Method UK, specialists in medically supervised alcohol reduction, says: ‘Our research reveals a worrying but understandable lack of will when it comes to keeping our New Year’s Resolutions. For those who have already given up on their goals, our message is that they should give themselves a pass and have another go. A lot may be riding on the result. For those who have hung in there so far, keep at it!

‘Our research shows that the most popular resolutions are based around living healthier, losing weight and exercising. This often includes cutting back on alcohol, which is high in Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) – considered “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to cholesterol build-up and blockage in the arteries. Reducing alcohol intake also leads to benefits like better sleep, increased energy, weight loss, fewer injuries, improved blood sugar and pressure, reduced headaches and heartburn, decreased liver fat and better nutrient absorption.

 ‘So why have most people given up on their Resolutions, particularly health goals, already? Tellingly, 43% of us actually expect we will give up on our Resolutions after just one month. That’s not exactly setting ourselves up for success.

‘The real issue is that it takes two months to successfully fix a new routine in place, and most people have lost heart by then. A study published in the ‘British Journal of Health Psychology’ found that it took “a median of 59 days for participants who successfully formed habits to reach peak automaticity”. In other words, it takes 59 days for a particular behaviour, such as a new exercise plan, to become routine.

‘That’s why so many people will have failed to stick to their New Year Resolution by this Friday, unless they also look for help to keep their resolve. Taking part in Dry January can help. Dry January is a popular challenge, encouraging people to abstain from alcohol for the entire month, to reset their relationship with drinking and experience health benefits like more energy, better sleep, weight loss, and improved mood. Sinclair Method UK’s helpful new Dry January blog has some good pointers to helping people keep up their Resolution for the whole of January.

‘While Dry January may serve as an initial step towards reducing alcohol consumption, long-term strategies are essential for effective management. Individuals who experience difficulty in moderating their alcohol intake may benefit from evidence-based approaches such as the Sinclair Method (TSM), which utilises prescribed medication in conjunction with structured online coaching and counselling. This established treatment demonstrates an 80% success rate in supporting individuals to address problematic drinking.

‘The treatment involves patients taking naltrexone orally one hour prior to alcohol consumption, diminishing the rewarding effects of alcohol and facilitating "pharmacological extinction" by retraining the brain’s reward pathways.

‘Sinclair Method UK Ltd delivers personalised treatment programmes that feature one-to-one support from a private general practitioner and dedicated coaching throughout a three- to six-month period. Consultations are available via telephone or video call, and prescriptions for necessary medications are provided accordingly. All services are conducted with full privacy and strict confidentiality.

‘Sinclair Method UK was founded with direct input from Dr. Roy Eskapa, a colleague of Dr. David Sinclair whose research led to this treatment. Dr. Eskapa trained and advised the team, making Sinclair Method UK the only organisation permitted to use The Sinclair Method trademark in the UK. For more information about how to successfully complete Dry January, visit: https://www.sinclairmethoduk.com/dry-january-programme.htm