‘Tis the season for taking the first action steps of the latest New Year’s resolutions, albeit with a bit of a twist this time around, courtesy of our current economic woes. Or maybe not. I heard someone say recently that he thought the economy would drive people out of some of their New Year’s resolutions faster, but I’m not so sure, at least when it comes to health and fitness.
On the nutrition front, a lot of people are trading down and buying groceries at Aldi and Wal-Mart. I haven’t seen yet how this is affecting health food chains like Whole Foods, if at all, but if people are shopping at a Whole Foods in this economy, then they’re committed to the lifestyle. Those who are trying to buy healthy at a Wal-Mart aren’t likely to be swayed off their resolutions as a result of finances. Will power maybe, but not that.
I think the economy is similarly a non-issue for resolutions pertaining to exercise. For example, if people have a health club membership, then they’re already paying for access – they simply need to take advantage of it. If they don’t have a membership, then they’re not likely to start right now due to the economy. That’s not to say that there won’t be people out there doing exactly that.
Overall, even in these tough times, I think one’s success with health-related New Year’s resolutions still comes down to personal behavior and one’s support system, not personal finances.
