It’s an optimistic thought that often can become a delusion if goals aren’t realistic.

Many students resolve to improve their health at the start of the new year, but many goals and promises made lack the conviction and attainability to become successful.

Whether it’s a negative mindset or unrealistic expectations, experts say there are a number of scientific and psychological reasons why so many New Year’s resolutions are so difficult to stick with.

What makes a good resolution

Defining the reason why people set resolutions can determine how effective they are, said Dennis Martell, Health Education Services Coordinator at Olin Health Center.

“The problem with any resolution is that you have to aspire to be something,” Martell said. “Just sit down, take out a piece of paper and write down what you aspire to be — what you want to have or achieve. Set your aspirations, then a firm determination and then you may be resolute.”

When someone opts for a change, they often think of what they want to do — not what they want to be. This is why most New Year’s resolutions flop, he said.

“Without being resolute, a resolution is not worth the paper you write it on,” Martell said.

As people create their resolutions, they should think of specific, concrete and realistic goals and allot scheduled times to achieve them, psychology assistant professor Joseph Cesario said.

For example, Cesario said resolving to exercise more is more likely to fail than resolving to exercise three times a week for 30 minutes after specific classes.

Psychology senior Thomas Bond approaches resolutions similarly, viewing them less as landmarks and more as “get better at this” or “do this more frequently.”

“It’s a gradual step that takes time and commitment and thinking about the resolutions constantly,” Bond said. “I believe we live life for the every day, and not just Jan. 1. The mentality of resolutions is beautiful, but it’s just a reminder or tick saying this is a fresh start.”

The business of resolutions

With “new year, new me,” mentalities setting in, people looking to shed unwanted pounds have flocked to gyms and fitness facilities throughout East Lansing and Lansing. It’s not unusual to see a rise in the number of new memberships around this time.

East Lansing’s Anytime Fitness, located at 16800 Chandler Road, typically sees a 10 percent increase in memberships around Jan. 1, manager Nick Parisian said.

Lansing’s Planet Fitness, 5833 W. Saginaw Highway, and East Lansing’s Powerhouse Gym, 4790 S. Hagadorn Road, noticed similar trends.

“In the near three years I’ve worked here, the number of members who sign up with us has always increased around the new year,” said Dawn Plenar, a Planet Fitness employee.

Powerhouse Gym general manager Tim Mumford estimated the business gained a few hundred new members so far in 2014.

However, this influx of new members tends to dwindle as the months go by. Of Anytime Fitness’s usual 10 percent member increase, only half tend to stay with the gym for a long period of time. Powerhouse Gym usually sees an even greater drop.

“If we were to get 600 new members, usually around 150-200 stay,” Mumford said.

Redefining health

Many resolutions are health-based, but the way people perceive the word “healthy” has become warped, said Ronda Bokram, a nutritionist at Olin Student Health Center.

It prompts unnecessary worry and stress over needs that are not as complicated as they seem, she said, adding that the media broadcasts unrealistic expectations of how the body should look.

“Many people are confused about all the misinformation, and it’s making people afraid of what to eat,” Bokram said.

People also are overwhelmed with advertisements during the holiday season, prompting them to fret over how much weight they’ll gain and the supposed need to start fresh for the new year.

“When you’re afraid of food, you’ll tend to eat more,” Bokram said. “What if you give yourself permission to eat whatever, whenever? When you give yourself permission, without judgement of yourself, you’ll eat what you need.”

Research on resolutions revolving around health could mean the difference between keeping one’s body healthy and putting it in danger.

“We need to become a culture that isn’t focused on weight,” Bokram said. “BMI doesn’t determine your health. Let’s take the weight out of health.”

Body mass index was not created with health as a factor, Bokram said. It was developed in the 1800s by a European researcher studying variations in population size. Originally, BMI had nothing to do with determining a person’s health.

When a person is at their genetic weight and their eating and exercise habits are normal, they should be healthy, Bokram said.

What people could focus on instead of whether their weight is “ideal” is eating intuitively and focusing on the part of them that knows what their body needs, she said.

“Eating should be a less difficult thing, but it’s become difficult with the addition of a ‘right’ way,” Bokram said.