It’s almost that time of year.

Fresh off a month or more of holiday binge eating (and/or drinking) from Thanksgiving to Christmas and into the New Year, we catch an unfortunate glimpse of ourselves in a full-length mirror and realize we’ve gone off the rails.

Perhaps way, way off the rails.

This is the time of year health clubs love. We all make New Year’s resolutions to get in shape and off the gym we go.

Don’t worry.

It’s only temporary for most of us. Studies show that the overwhelming number of people pull the plug on their New Year’s resolutions inside three weeks. As many as 95% of us bail out of the gym or our commitment to eating better in 17-18 days.

A website called Resolution Clinic (ResolutionClinic.co.uk) advises people who want to enter the new by developing new habits to avoid biting off more than they can chew. Of course, it could be argued that biting off more than we should is how we became rounder than we liked to start with.

But seriously, the advice is to try not to change all your habits at once and be specific about what you want to change.

An article entitled. “Why most people break their New Year’s resolutions within a month” states:

“Research from the British Journal of Health Care Management found that all too often the goals we set are too vague and not specific enough. … To give yourself a greater chance of sticking to your resolutions, make sure they are well-defined. Try to make your resolution SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound.”

The last couple of years, one of my resolutions was to cut fast food out of my diet. It’s easy enough in the beginning. I simply avoided such places on my commute, which was then 45 minutes one way — most of it up and down Route 11. If I could avoid McDonald’s and similar places at the start and finish of the commute, all was good. Because as most of you probably know, there aren’t many possibilities once you’re on that lonely stretch of two-lane highway.

Each of the two years, I made it through the first couple months without straying. One year, I made it all the way to June without breaking my fast-food vow. I’ve even successfully sworn off bread and pizza for extended periods. I’ve even wholly eliminated beer and most other varieties of alcohol from my life. Once in a while, I’ll put a bit of Bailey’s in a cup of coffee, usually during the holidays.

But sooner or later, something happens and I find myself veering off the sensible-eating path I set for myself — mostly out of convenience.

The best way to avoid those pitfalls is to prepare meals yourself in advance to eat throughout the week. But that’s a resolution I haven’t been able to stick to for very long. So after a while, I find myself giving in and getting a burger, chicken sandwich or burrito. Or I do the ultimate lazy thing and have something delivered to the office. My commute is now more like 10-15 minutes and I pass any number of potential diet-busting stops on my way to and from work. Or again, I can have something delivered or fetch it myself.

Let’s just say I have become re-acquainted with the menus at some of the best spots in downtown Warren since the end of July. And, yes, I realize that there are plenty of items at both establishments that are better for me than others. The same goes for other places I frequent.

And trust me, I’m going to resolve to make those better choices … just as soon as I make it through the holidays and everyone at 240 Franklin St. stops bringing in all these goodies on an almost daily basis. Never mind the fact that these communal goodies have been appearing regularly in the break room since July 29, when I first walked (back) in the door here. I’ve even contributed to the daily spread. A dozen donuts today and they didn’t last long enough for me to get one. I mean, there’s three left, but all the good kinds are gone. That’s how it goes.

And that’s just fine, because there will be no more pizza, no more cupcakes and no more cookies. I’m done with all that. In fact, I’m eating the very last cookie right now. It’s an oatmeal raisin cookie, for the record, and it’s fantastic.

I can justify it because raisins are fruit, right? And fruit is good for you.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Ed Puskas is editor of the Tribune Chronicle and The Vindicator. Contact him at 330-841-1786 or epuskas@tribtoday.com.