New years resolutions - have you got yours ready?

[Mark T Jones]

I have to admit to snorting when people talk about their New Year's resolutions, particularly the 'New year, New me' variants.

Step back 38 years. Yours truly worked in a bikers' pub in Winchester. New years day shift, the regulars all turn up

Some have resolved to give up drinking, so have a shandy (because shandy isn't alcohol, obvs). All have 'given up' smoking.

Remember, at this time smoking was allowed - sometimes mandatory- in pubs.

Cue 20 bikers sitting at the bar, staring at each other waiting for the first one to crack. At a push, 20 minutes, one would cave in and light up, wheron all the others would do the same, comfortable that they hadn't lost the battle.

Sounds ridiculous, but it happened, and is really just an accelerated version of the multiple diet/gym/booze/fags resolutions that will be made tonight

The serious point - if you want to resolve to do something, make it
Positive
Achievable
Realistic
Measurable

I feel an acronym coming on!

Have a good one!

 

[WaveJumper]

I have to admit to snorting when people talk about their New Year's resolutions, particularly the 'New year, New me' variants.

Step back 38 years. Yours truly worked in a bikers' pub in Winchester. New years day shift, the regulars all turn up

Some have resolved to give up drinking, so have a shandy (because shandy isn't alcohol, obvs). All have 'given up' smoking.

Remember, at this time smoking was allowed - sometimes mandatory- in pubs.

Cue 20 bikers sitting at the bar, staring at each other waiting for the first one to crack. At a push, 20 minutes, one would cave in and light up, wheron all the others would do the same, comfortable that they hadn't lost the battle.

Sounds ridiculous, but it happened, and is really just an accelerated version of the multiple diet/gym/booze/fags resolutions that will be made tonight

The serious point - if you want to resolve to do something, make it
Positive
Achievable
Realistic
Measurable

I feel an acronym coming on!

Have a good one!

Good advice @Mark T Jones you have a good one too. And a very Happy New Year to all on UKBF

 

[MBE2017]

My resolution from now on is to drink more Southern Comfort, eat out more, and travel more.

My first trip is to Iceland at the end of January, hoping to tick off seeing the Northern Lights, see Wales in the sea and get frozen on land, hot in the thermal springs. All items on my bucket list.

Well, life is for living, I will let the youngsters do the going without rubbish.

 

[Mark T Jones]

My resolution from now on is to drink more Southern Comfort, eat out more, and travel more.

My first trip is to Iceland at the end of January, hoping to tick off seeing the Northern Lights, see Wales in the sea and get frozen on land, hot in the thermal springs. All items on my bucket list.

Well, life is for living, I will let the youngsters do the going without rubbish.

That sounds like the best type if resolution

 

[Ian J]

Some have resolved to give up drinking, so have a shandy (because shandy isn't alcohol, obvs). All have 'given up' smoking.

I did resolve to give up smoking on a New Year's Eve some 20 years ago and actually managed it

 

[Ozzy]

I haven't made NY resolutions for many years, but we did resolve to tick a load of things off the bucket list after my MIL passed away suddenly (15 years ago tomorrow). That included going to Disney and Lapland, places she said she'd do one day but died before she did.

Have a wonderful evening; enjoy a sherbet or two, and start that diet tomorrow ??

 

[Alan]

Positive
Achievable
Realistic
Measurable

I feel an acronym coming on!

What about

Positive
Realistic
Achievable
Time bound

 

[Mark T Jones]

I did resolve to give up smoking on a New Year's Eve some 20 years ago and actually managed it

That's a great result!

 

[MBE2017]

That's a great result!

Agreed, I went cold turkey, not on NYE, but at the age of six, 20 a day habit back then, times are different now, most six year olds could never afford thirty a day, come to that most adults can’t now either.

 

[Jeff FV]

…. see Wales in the sea …

Not sure you’ll get to see that in 2022, but with continued global warming can’t be too long away.

HNY to all. Totally agree with the resolution to travel. I was lucky enough to go abroad twice last year - a few extra Covid induce hoops to jump through, but so worth it.

Enjoy Iceland, hope you get to see some Whales - one of my best memories of 2021 was, by chance, spotting and watching an Octopus in its natural habitat, at times strange and ungainly but when it wanted to be, elegant and sophisticated. A magnificent creature.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Agreed, I went cold turkey, not on NYE, but at the age of six, 20 a day habit back then, times are different now, most six year olds could never afford thirty a day, come to that most adults can’t now either.

First time I 'gave up' was when they hit 50p then as about 100 NY resolutions- I think they were £2 when I actually gave up.

The secrets for me in actually giving up were

1. Combine it with a positive event (buying my first home)

2. Don't tell anyone, just quietly become a non smoker

 

[MBE2017]

The secrets for me in actually giving up were

1. Combine it with a positive event (buying my first home)

2. Don't tell anyone, just quietly become a non smoker

My secret was a good beating given by my father, followed by asking for my word I never touch them again until legal age, all after a neighbour dobbed myself in it.

 

[Ozzy]

My secret was a good beating given by my father, followed by asking for my word I never touch them again until legal age, all after a neighbour dobbed myself in it.

It was my step father who started me smoking. When out in the woods beating for the game, he and the other grounds workers handed my brother and I their dregs of cigs to finish off. We were about 4 and 6.
He was the game keeper for a Lord in North Wales so when he had a shoot we the kids would walk the woods to beat the bushes or carry and load the guns for the guests. Wouldn’t be allowed these days.

 

[estwig]

I've resolved to give up men, deleted my grindr account, you wouldn't believe the trouble it's got me into!

Gonna take my mother's rather persistent advice, to find myself a nice girlfriend.

Didn't expect that did ya!!!!

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Every time i've made a resolution to stop drinking on New Years Eve, somebody hands me a glass of bubbly to celebrate and it's broken at 3 seconds past midnight!

Regarding weight loss and diets, a mate of mine, a former England level sportsman once told me not to worry about dieting unless you can give up bread, whilst eating cake is fine! For those of us who are office bound and waiting for the sandwich lady to call, those who are grabbing something to eat at a service station whilst on the road, avoiding bread is difficult but it's far easier to manage and remember if you just cut down.

 

[Ozzy]

avoiding bread is difficult but it's far easier to manage and remember if you just cut down.

I did this myself a few years back when I was cycling on a regular basis too, it made a massive difference. I also reduced my dairy into at the same time; think I need to revisit that lifestyle!
Bread and dairy are two things that I found made a big difference to not just my weight but how I felt too, but trying it as part of a diet I personally don't feel will work. It's a lifestyle choice.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I did this myself a few years back when I was cycling on a regular basis too, it made a massive difference. I also reduced my diary into at the same time; think I need to revisit that lifestyle!
Bread and diary are two things that I found made a big difference to not just my weight but how I felt too, but trying it as part of a diet I personally don't feel will work. It's a lifestyle choice.

I dramatically cut down on dairy 3 years ago (not as a New year resolution!) - the toughest bit for me is butter which isn't substitutable, so kind f leads to cutting down on bread.

I now bake my own bread, which seems to be far better - apparently there is a component of mass-manufactured stuff that makes it particularly problematic. In any case, it all tastes like cr@p after the real home-baked stuff!

 

[intheTRADE]

Only the 2

Get fitter
Learn to play the guitar (eventually after saying the same for 20 years)