What was your New Year's resolution this year? For many of us, getting fit was high on the list. Now, new research indicates that people may have a better chance of actually achieving this if they record their goals in a fitness diary and reflect on their failures as well as their successes.

UK researchers asked 60 students to fill out questionnaires about their goals when it came to fitness. They were also asked to keep a diary about their experiences.

The study found that people were more likely to reach their fitness goals if they did the following things:
-Used the information in their diary to reflect back on their attempts to get fit, identifying what worked for them and what did not
-Were held accountable by others and received feedback, whether this was via a family member, friend, expert or support group
-Recorded their progress
-Created mini-goals that led to the eventual main goal.

According to the researchers from Loughborough University, by looking back on their diaries, the students tended to consider their attempts to get fit in a different way. The diaries also appeared to provide the students with a boost in self-confidence and self-esteem.

The researchers added that getting fit not only benefits our physical health, but also our psychological health, because it builds important skills, such as discipline and organisation.

Details of these findings were presented at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology in Brighton.