Behaviour change researchers say setting realistic goals and turning them into habits is the key to achieving your New Year’s resolutions.

BehaviourWorks Australia associate professor Peter Bragge says there is a science behind forming habits, that comes down to repetition, stable environmental cues and unpredictable rewards.

“The first step to forming a habit is repeating the same behaviour a number of times, the second is setting stable cues in an environment like a consistent location or time to do exercise, and the third is some sort of reward; research shows unpredictable rewards are more effective than predictable ones,” he says. 

Mr Bragge suggests asking family and friends to check in on your progress at random times to create unpredictable rewards.  

Finder.com.au data analysis shows eating better, travelling more and getting out of debt rank among Australian’s top resolutions. 

A survey of more than 2000 people found 29 per cent want to improve their fitness and lose weight, 10 per cent want to eat better, nine per cent want to travel more and eight per cent want to get out of debt. 

Less common resolutions include learning something new, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, volunteering and sleeping more. 

The top resolution of improving fitness and losing weight was reflected in Ballarat in the lead up to New Year’s Day, with the city’s gyms facing an influx of new members. 

Ballarat Body and Soul owner Mel Tempest says more than 53 new members signed up to the South Ballarat gym on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. 

She says more people were understanding the importance of mental well-being and the ‘feel good factor’ that came from exercise opposed to obsession with weight or clothing size. 

“Everybody goes in to the new year with good intentions saying ‘this is going to be my year’ and ‘I am going to lose weight’, but I personally think people put too much pressure on themselves,” she says.

“I think it is smart to think about what you did last year and make it better this year. If you can only get to the gym once a week, go to the gym once a week, and make changes in other parts of your life.

“If you go for a 20 minute walk around the block at work, that is better than sitting on social media. If you cut your coffee consumption from five to two cups a day that is more realistic than cutting it out all together.

“My personal goal for 2019 is to drink more water.”