New Year. New-ish me.

In: Adding in and small sustainable changes. Out: Restriction and constraint.

Happy belated New Year! It’s officially 2025, which feels surreal. Someone posted on social media that we are the same amount of years away from 2000 as we are from 2050, which feels like a very duh thing to read and hear, but also, I didn’t really need to hear that. Who needs that kind of negativity right now?

My reaction hearing that.

Who remembers this jam from the early 00s:

Well, the years start coming
And they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart, but your head gets dumb

- “All Star” by Smash Mouth

Anyway, January is the month of fresh starts and beginnings. This is the time when many people make resolutions and promises to better themselves in some way or form. In my opinion, the interesting aspect of this is that when we attempt these transformations and new beginnings, we mostly think of the negatives. We focus on restrictions and constraints instead of positive additions that can improve our health.

Just as a quick side note, I went to a yoga class on Monday, December 30th, and my teacher was giving her usual spiel before class started, but something she said caught my attention. This is paraphrased, of course, “You know humans aren’t supposed to naturally start over and make big changes in the middle of winter. Winter is the time of hibernation and rest. So many other animals do, yet we always feel the need to be productive, which is counterintuitive. Spring is the best time because think of everything that is blooming and growing at this time. Also, in other cultures, the new year starts in Spring.”

Thinking of the fresh start of so many blooming flowers in the Spring. Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

Listen, I am not saying this is right or wrong, but it definitely made me think. Mostly because people are so hell-bent on getting through a plethora of resolutions and, many times, failing. There are a number of reasons for this, but I found what she said extremely interesting and worth sharing.

Why are we so restriction focused?

Take a look at any article that is in the media now, and you will see ideas on how to shed pounds, cut out carbohydrates, or reduce calorie intake overall. We are so used to hearing this rhetoric that it might even sound nonsensical to call it negative. After all, resolutions are just goals, which are about commitment and hard work, right? How does this relate to them being negative? Well, let’s see what I mean; here’s a list of some popular New Year resolutions that we hear quite often:

• Weight loss, dropping pounds or sizes

• Cutting out sugar or other food/groups

• Eating and consuming less overall

• Walk 10k or more steps every single day

I’m sure these sound familiar, as we have heard these resolutions from others or made them ourselves. I’ll say this, there is nothing inherently wrong with having goals or trying to make small changes that you think will benefit you individually. I have spoken about practicing from a weight-neutral stance, and everyone is entitled to do what they want with their body; however, losing weight doesn’t automatically equate to health. Often, the tactics that folks partake in to lose weight are the opposite of healthy and lead to weight cycling, which has the opposite effect that many are looking for. I will also shamelessly plug that I wrote about this in my book Live Nourished: Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy.

Along with weight loss usually comes the decision to completely quit and restrict a food or food group. How many people do you know that are trying to cut out sugar? Probably quite a few. And with this goal comes the inevitable binge that follows after a few days from throwing out all the desserts and snacks from the fridge, pantry, or freezer. I have also written about the Last Supper effect, which occurs before the diet begins, and many folks will often overeat or binge because they are anticipating a period of dietary restriction. There is also the scarcity effect, which occurs when you see something that is rare, desirable, or expensive, and your subconscious mind makes you think about having it more than if you saw something that was abundant.

Now, I’m NOT saying that sugar is best consumed in large quantities and that we shouldn’t find ways to reduce our intake. I AM saying that sugar does not have to be completely eliminated and that it should not be compared to a certain illegal substance that is white in color and begins with the letter c. There’s just no need to demonize any food this way and also compare it to actual substance abuse. We can do better.

The reoccurring joke for the new year always seems to be how the gyms are overcrowded from everyone trying to fulfill their new goal of movement. Great, no problem, as movement has benefits for many; however, this doesn’t have to mean spending money on something you don’t enjoy. The best movement you can do is the one that brings you joy because you are more likely to continue to do it. Think about it.

We seem to be on a continuing hamster wheel. How many times have any of us gone to a fitness class or told ourselves we’re going to start running since everyone else seems to be doing it? Then, when we start, we realize that we don’t actually enjoy this, and we stop doing it altogether. We blame ourselves for the lack of discipline since the problem is clearly us, and we feel guilty about not getting in any movement. So, we will start our fitness journey in the new year. Endless wheel.

I will continue to shout this from rooftops - find what you love to do, and you will continue to do it. And what you love might not be mainstream, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not movement or beneficial for you. Find what brings you joy and motivates you.

There is nothing wrong with having goals, but let’s focus on daily increases and changes. The key word is to try to make things sustainable, AKA realistic. Let’s take a look at what this means below.