A Winnipeg radio DJ says he has learned about self-respect after he abstained from having sex for a year as part of a New Year's resolution.

Marcel Williams, a DJ at hip-hop station 104.7 Streetz FM, made the resolution one year ago this week, initially as a publicity stunt.

Williams, 24, said he thought he may break the resolution as soon as temptation arose, but he instead kept his word for the entire year.

"The last day that I was active was Dec. 28, which is today, so it's officially one year now," Williams told CBC News on Wednesday.

Throughout the year, Williams went by the moniker "Marcel 'No Sex' Williams" on-air and on a blog he maintained about the experiment.

The website, complete with a countdown clock, attracted more than 50,000 hits in its first few weeks. As of this week, it has nearly 630,000 hits.

Williams said he maintained his New Year's resolution with a lot of willpower, along with the knowledge that people were watching his every move online.

"It's helped me understand the value of saving yourself for somebody else," he said.

Williams said he has started speaking to young people about the importance of abstinence, and he plans to maintain his resolution well into 2012.

"A lot of people think I'm just going to be lined up on New Year's Eve outside of some nightclub, just prowling on women, but that's not the case at all," he said.

As for next year, Williams stayed mum on what his upcoming New Year's resolution will be.