This is the time of year where we get a chance to make a fresh start, with a new year. A clean slate to write on what we want and dream ourselves to be. Psychology Today reports that the top two New Year’s Resolutions are quitting smoking and decreasing alcohol consumption, other sources site losing weight, getting organized, and getting fit through regular exercise. The sad, and not so shocking truth, is that most people fail at keeping these commitments long term. Within one week 22% fail to keep their resolutions, 40% after 1 month, and half after 3 months. In fact only 1 out of 5 people who make New Year’s Resolutions keep them for long term, and truly make it a life style change.
What is the reason for this dismal performance as a society? We have all the resources, and information, literally at our finger tips, yet still we often fail. We can access online support groups, look up healthy recipes on Pinterest, do free workout classes on YouTube, but still Americans are among the most unhealthy and overweight in the world. If it is not lack of information, or access to resources, then what is the problem we face? Psychology Today states the top 3 reasons are
- Vague and Unclear Goals
- Failure to Gauge Progress
- and Weak self-control or self-regulation.
We at Christian Healthcare Centers are committed to Whole-Person Focused care and Community-Building. Our philosophy is promoting lifestyle change, not dieting, or short-lived programs. We believe that we have been given all that we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and that we must spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). To that end, in 2018 CHC is holding monthly CHC Wellness Club meetings as a community of health minded people that want to make lasting change in the course of their lives and health. We hope that these sessions will be the extra encouragement and accountability, that we all need to overcome our weak self-control, and make progress toward the abundant life that Jesus talked about in John 10:10.
Meetings will be held the first Wednesday evening of each month, with the first being held this Wednesday, January 3rd here at the Christian Healthcare Centers building on East Beltline Court in Northeast Grand Rapids. The sessions start at 5pm, but there is an optional weigh-in portion that people can come for at 4:30pm for those who want to track their progress. This is offered as a FREE service to our members, but those who aren’t signed up for CHC membership are welcome to join as well for a $10 per session fee. Sessions include a brief educational portion at the beginning, and then will mainly focus on a round table discussion of the challenges, victories, and failures that we all face in trying to live a healthy lifestyle. For more information you can email Alex Corcoran at acorcoran@chcenters.org.
