Keeping up appearances: The most popular health and beauty New Year’s resolutions

The New Year is a fresh start to tackle past habits that may have left you not feeling your best. Whether it’s to improve your health, gain confidence, focus on your mental wellbeing or simply look and feel better, setting some New Year’s resolution ideas in place is a great start. We surveyed the nation to find out what goals people are setting in the new year, what the motivation behind it is and what obstacles may pop up. We’ve also enlisted the help of dermatologist, Dr. Dina Keen, and personal trainer, Sarah Spence, to provide their expert insights to help smash your resolutions.

The reason behind the resolution

As the Christmas leftovers are polished off and the hangover subsides, people often think about making healthy resolutions for the new year to improve their lives. It’s a universal desire to feel and look better and the dawn of a new year is a great opportunity to set some goals. If you’re thinking about starting a challenge, you won’t be alone – 35% of Brits will be making health or beauty-related New Year’s resolutions for 2024 in a bid to improve themselves.

The motivation behind the most common New Year’s resolutions is usually deeply personal. For many, it’s the want to become the very best version of themselves, whether that is for self-improvement, boosting confidence or addressing health concerns. But it turns out that achievable New Year’s resolutions aren’t always about fixing your appearance, especially because it only came in third (25%) on the list of main reasons to set a resolution. Brits are more focused on improving their physical health with nearly 39% stating they want to feel better within themselves in 2024 and are committed to taking steps to do this. So, it’s no surprise that the top three of the ten good New Year’s resolutions that people will be setting include, losing weight (26.9%), exercise regularly (18.4%) and eat a balanced diet (13.2%). However, improving physical health isn’t just the top priority for the nation. Improving mental wellbeing was the second most popular reason Brits are planning on setting mental health New Year’s resolutions in 2024.

Top 10 health and fitness New Years resolutions

Failure to launch

Even with the best of intentions, it can be difficult to get proper traction on the New Year’s goals you set. Especially when the excitement of the new year has worn off and the dark January nights set in. So much so, that 31% of people stated that they were not successful with the New Year’s resolutions they had set and did not reach their goals. It’s easy to be confident in the beginning, however, as the saying goes, “old habits die hard” and it’s easy to slip back into comfort zones – even if you don’t necessarily want to be there.

So, when are people most likely to give up? Well, nearly half (44%) of respondents who make New Year’s resolutions admitted to giving up within 4 weeks. Within 4 weeks the motivation tapers off but that’s when you should be digging deep and carrying on with your goal. It takes around 10 weeks1 for a habit to form – based on daily repetition – so if you want to be successful, hang on in there for a little longer and you should be on the right path to succeeding in your goal.

Why New Year’s resolutions fail

In many ways, the ritual of making a resolution on New Year’s is redundant. You can set goals to lose weight or drink more water at any point in the year. But the hope and optimism that fuels the “new year, new me” idea isn’t enough to get you through the whole year, especially if you’re trying to make major changes, like stopping smoking or drastically increasing physical activity. So, it’s not surprising that lack of motivation and lack of willpower top the list of the main justifiers people have for giving up on their resolutions with 33% and 31% admitting that was the case, respectively. Knowing as much as you can about how to keep a New Year’s resolution is one thing, but having willpower and motivation is key.

However, surprisingly, another key reason why people fail is because, deep down, they’re not ready to change, with 14% of respondents stating this. There’s a difference between wanting to be better, feel better or look better and actually willing to be able to make the changes that will get you there. The reasons behind this reluctance could stem from fear of the unknown or external factors. Work and family or personal circumstances may create a sense of overwhelm, making it harder to initiate change and ultimately, see the results you’re looking for.

Finger on the pulse – the biggest upcoming trends of 2024

When it comes to tackling new goals, not knowing what to do or how to start can be half the battle. Finding the right exercise, diet, routine, plan or structure that works for you can be the difference between successfully hitting your goal and losing steam one month in. But what are the health and beauty trends that have piqued people’s interest and can potentially reshape wellness journeys for people across the UK? Well, “wall Pilates workout”, where you use a wall to aid with Pilates moves currently gets 27,100 searches per month in the UK and the monthly search volume for this keyword has increased by, on average, 653% over the past 12 months. Calisthenics, on the other hand, is gaining ground embodying a shift towards bodyweight exercises gets 22,200 monthly searches and has increased 174% over the last year. When it comes to body and mind trends, somatic exercises, which highlights the emphasis on the mind-body connection in fitness routines, had a remarkable 2,120% increase in searches. This suggests that people are more focused on holistic well-being, putting emphasis on intentional and mindful movements that promote self-awareness and overall physical and mental well-being. In terms of diet and nutrition trends, there is a smorgasbord of options to pick from. However, the Carnivore diet, where you only eat red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, is sparking interest as it is currently getting 31,290 monthly searches and has increased by 32% over the past year. Plus, searches for “carnivore diet food list” have also increased by 222% in the last 12 months. But the enduring popularity of the Mediterranean Diet, with 85% increased searches, showcases the popularity and fascination with balanced, plant-based nutrition.

Let’s ask the experts

Embarking on a journey of self-improvement can be both exciting and challenging but having the right guidance can make all the difference. The right expertise can empower you to navigate potential obstacles, set realistic goals and stay motivated beyond just the first month. That’s why we’ve teamed up with dermatologist, Dr. Dina Keen, and personal trainer, Sarah Spence, to fill you in on everything you need to smash any upcoming resolutions.

Dr. Keen’s top beauty tips

1. Beautiful skin is very much related to your posture. Just 15-20 minutes of exercise or yoga a day improves the position of the head, increases blood supply, and reduces asymmetrical ptosis.

2. Simple beauty tools, like a gua sha, can make a big difference. Use it for a facial lymph drainage massage which should be done at least 5-10 minutes daily.

3. Get enough sleep. You should aim for at least 7 hours.

4. Take the right vitamins. Opt for vitamins C, A, and D to boost collagen production for the skin.

5. Hydration. Face masks with hyaluronic acid or aloe vera twice weekly.

6. Opt for skin care products with signal peptides, vitamin C, A or Retinol.

Nailing the routine

“The main thing about achieving beautiful skin is establishing a routine that you can realistically commit to. Starting with elementary steps for just 10-15 minutes a day is more beneficial than spending one full hour on it one day a week. Knowing your skin type can also impact the number of steps in your routine. If you are unsure about your skin type, aim for products that are designed for sensitive skin.”

How to get glowing skin

“The facial skin requires a lot of care, depending on the skin type. 8 out of 10 people don't know their skin type and use the wrong products. Hence, skin might have problems such as excessive dryness, wrinkles, rashes, acne spots and allergic reactions”.

Less is more

“You don't need too many products for your skin to see great results. We are buying too many skin care products and trying to use them together. As a result, there is no positive outcome due to conflicting ingredients, and you end up with a reaction. I call it an overdone skin or an overused reaction. Nothing works along with spoiled skin.”

When will you see the results?

“Usually, you should see results in your skin after one month. But you can expect it to take a little while longer for nails and hair – around three months. When you start to notice the benefits from your hard work, it will likely motivate you to learn more about your skin and stick to your goals.”

Be SMART, setting goals that stick

“Personal trainers love to use SMART goals; meaning the goal should be specific, measured, achievable, realistic, and time bound. Let’s say your goal is ‘I want to lose weight’ - then ask yourself, how much weight specifically do I want to lose, how can you measure this (will you weigh yourself or use photos?), when do you want to achieve this by, and is this a realistic time frame given how much I want to commit to it.”

“I love to encourage my clients to make positive goals too. Rather than limiting yourself with goals like ‘no chocolate’, what about flipping these to more positive targets for example aiming to eat some protein in every meal or getting out for a 20-minute walk every day. Things that add to your life rather than restrict you.”

“Dependant on the goal, 3 months of commitment and consistency is enough time to really see good change. Consistency being the key factor here! Ultimately, we want a healthy lifestyle and not a quick fix though. So, make decisions which will help in the long term and not just for a few months.”

Break it up, to avoid burnout

“You need rest days! Days from your workouts where you’re chilling out. I recommend a minimum of 2 a week. Not only are they essential for your stress and energy levels, they’re also necessary if you’re wanting to maintain or build muscle and recover properly from your workouts. I always think if people can go 7 days a week working out then they aren’t giving 100% in their workouts. 3 great workouts are better than 7 mediocre tired ones in my opinion!”

Keeping momentum by building discipline

Keeping momentum and staying motivated can be hard, especially during colder and darker months. How can people stay connected to their goals during this time?

“I really empathise with this struggle, it’s tough and I talk about this a lot on my Instagram channel. It takes discipline and not motivation. Motivation will help you for about 10 days.”

So how do you stay disciplined?

“You’ve got to build the discipline; set your clothes out, plan your week, set your alarm, book your classes, do your food shop when you’re not hungry, plan your meals, and show up on the days you don’t want to. If that’s still tough; book a class with a friend so you can’t let them down or tell someone your plan for the week and get them to keep you accountable. Or sometimes just writing your goals down and sticking it on the bathroom mirror or fridge can help too!”

Methodology

This survey was conducted with a sample size of 2001 people across the UK with Censuswide.

UK Google related searches to “exercise” and “diet” were analysed to find those that had had the highest percentage increase over the past 12 months, giving the trends that are predicted to be popular in 2024.

Conclusion

Feeling good and looking good often go hand-in-hand. So, if you’re looking to step up your beauty routine, investing in the right tools can help make the process a lot easier. Get everything from beard trimmers and electric hair clippers to curling wands and hair straighteners to help you put your best foot forward in 2024. If you want to get into good health habits, like brushing your teeth more or drinking more water, getting an electric toothbrush to give your teeth the clean they deserve or an app to remind you when to hydrate, can help you along your journey.