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Every January, gyms overflow and 91% of resolutions get abandoned before spring. In this episode, we trace the surprisingly ancient history of New Year's resolutions—from Babylonian harvest promises to Roman offerings to Janus—and explore why our brains are so bad at sustaining behavior change.

We debunk the myth that habits take 21 days to form (it's actually 18 to 254 days), explain why willpower is one of the least effective tools for lasting change, and dig into the neuroscience of why your cortisol-flooded prefrontal cortex might be working against you. Kylee breaks down the resolution patterns she sees in her nutrition practice—the athlete trying to drop 20 pounds in four weeks, the five-hour Sunday meal prep plans, the all-or-nothing thinking that turns one missed day into total abandonment—and shares how to set goals that actually stick.

We cover Strava's "Quitters Day" phenomenon (January 19th), why dry January might backfire, and why positive reinforcement beats self-punishment every time. Plus: Woody Guthrie's charmingly chaotic 1943 list of "New Year's Rulin's," including "wash teeth, if any" and "help win war / beat Fascism."

Episode 383: The Joy of Adult Hobbies with Anne Helen Petersen | Culture Study Cross-Over Episode

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