Non-Diet New Year’s Resolutions
Anyone else getting really tired of the standard, worn out, overused New Year’s resolutions?
Eat better/”cleaner”/less
Exercise more- start that gym membership January 1st!
Fit into that pair of jeans
Be swimsuit ready by summer
Do a cleanse/Whole 30/insert diet name here
Lose X pounds
Boring. Over it. I get it, we’ve all been there. It’s hard to break out of this mindset when our culture is so focused on body weight and appearance. This is not to say we can’t make goals to improve ourselves in the new year. We can absolutely make changes to better our health, including eating nutritious foods, prioritizing our wellbeing, and moving our bodies more in ways that feel good. But too often the reason these goals are set is based on appearance and body size. There are so many more interesting and exciting things we can do with a whole new year. You are a whole person with thoughts and feelings and a full life. You are so much more than your appearance or your body weight or your pant size. So this year let’s make it a point to make some new year’s goals that have nothing to do with dieting. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Cook a new recipe on weekends (or any day of the week).
Trying out new recipes gives you a chance to explore new foods and flavors, can help you to feel more comfortable in the kitchen and around food, and is a great way to spend quality time with friends or family. Part of having a peaceful relationship with food is learning to confidently feed yourself. Having a recipe or two in your back pocket that you feel comfortable making can help ease some stress about what to eat. Plus, you can show off your new cooking skills.
2. Make time for self care (it’s more than bubble baths!).
Self care is defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress. The busy holiday season and New Year’s pressure is a recipe for burnout. Pick one or two ways you intend to care for yourself going into the new year. It can be meditation, reading a good book, scheduling quiet time for yourself, attending therapy, adequate sleep, spending time outside- you name it. Decide what you’ll do and how often. It can even just be a couple of minutes each day. Remember that self care involves more than just taking care of your physical body, so spiritual practices and taking care of your mental/emotional health count too!
3. Change up your social media.
We underestimate the impact that social media has on our thoughts and beliefs. It can be incredibly tempting to hop on whatever diet/exercise trend influencers are posting on social media, especially when they’re accompanied by countless images of society’s “ideal body”. Set the intention to change up who you follow on social media and how often you choose to engage with it. Remember that social media is just a highlight reel- not real life.
4. Practice gratitude and self compassion.
There’s always room for more kindness to ourselves. Set an intention in the new year to start being gentler with yourself. Work towards letting go of “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” when it comes to eating and caring for yourself. Replace them with more reasonable and flexible language like “I can”, “it’s ok to”, and “I may”. If you like to write things down, start a gratitude journal and write at least 1-5 things you’re grateful for each day or each week. Practicing gratitude and self compassion opens up space for you to be you!
Some final thoughts
Alternatively, you don’t have to set any New Year’s resolutions at all. The only thing changing is the year on the calendar. The New Year is a holiday because we made it one, and it does not have any impact on your worth. Don’t let the messaging of “New Year, New You!” pressure you to change yourself or how you decide to care for yourself. We could all benefit from slowing down a little rather than rushing full speed into the new year. Happy 2024!
This post was originally published December 30, 2020.