TW: mentions of diets, weight loss
New Years can mean new beginnings, new resolutions and new habits. It can also mean lots of stress, high expectations and self-loathing. Unfortunately, much of the narrative around New Year’s resolutions revolve around diets and weight loss, which can be extremely toxic to one’s mental health and wellness.
Health is something personal to everyone but is often policed by diet magazines, social media influencers and corporations who are driven by money or clout. There are lots of trends on Instagram, Tik Tok and even Snapchat that focus purely on physique rather than simply feeling good in your own body.
Personally, I’ve fallen victim to diet culture, especially around New Years when I’m eager to start eating healthier. However, I find myself feeling anxious and unsatisfied because of how strict and limiting diets are. So for the past couple of years, I’ve made an effort to avoid toxic health resolutions, and instead, come up with new habits that help me stay on track.
Instead of making sudden, drastic changes, make resolutions that can be done in increments. For example, going on a walk once a day, or working out twice a week (while keeping in mind that exercising includes lots of fun things, like hiking, playing your favorite sport, even dancing).
Something as small as adding some veggies to your meals, or unfollowing influencers on social media that encourage diet culture can relieve some of the guilt and pressures we feel during New Years.
The biggest thing I try to remember is that it’s not always about making changes to yourself, but changing your environment, the things you’re watching on T.V. or seeing online. Making resolutions according to yourself and how you feel, rather than making them because of something you saw on Instagram, or heard from a friend gives you control over your own body and mental health.