December 26th is a notable day for many American families – where Christmas leftovers have stuffed the refrigerator full, thank-you notes are being written, but, most importantly, it is when the prospect of New Year’s is realized. Every year, there is immense pressure to fulfill some kind of resolution or change for the upcoming 365 days. Historically, many people will stick to this goal for a little while, until the inevitable stresses and overwhelming feelings of life catch up to them. Changing your behaviors and habits should not be something that starts January 1st; this idea of self-growth should happen regularly as we continue to deepen our relationship with ourselves throughout the year.
Save money. Don’t procrastinate. Find an internship. However, the most notorious (and albeit, toxic) resolution is the one that leaves many impressionable individuals feeling hopeless more often than not: to lose weight. “Exercising more, eating healthier, and losing weight,” are consistently the three most popular American resolutions year after year. And while these goals might seem like a positive means to better yourself, oftentimes it leads to lower self-worth and less self-confidence. This is because of the need to consistently perceive yourself on the scale or in the mirror while the objective of weight loss is on the forefront of your mind.
Many people go from 0 to 100, leaving them burnt out by February. Whether this looks like not exercising to going to the gym five days a week for two hours or eating a substantially decreased number of calories, heading full force into any health-related resolutions is glaringly concerning. Additionally, when results are not seen immediately, all hope seems to be lost and the blame is placed on the individual. Such intentions fail to consider real life and inconsistencies. And, with a success factor as the determinant, this type of resolution makes people want to punish themselves, ultimately leading to a perpetual cycle each year of failure and disappointment.
I asked a few of my friends regarding their thoughts on weight loss resolutions. I was met with eye rolls. One friend described the concept of “starting fresh” on January 1st as the Mardi Gras effect, where people will treat themselves poorly until their decided date to change. This is an excuse to put off goals which negatively impacts attitude towards said goal and thus results in the feelings of dissatisfaction, lack of motivation, and fatigue. Another friend mentioned how vague the statement “to lose weight” is and that this is simply not sustainable as society’s image of what is standardized as beautiful changes every few years.
Resolutions are a means for corporations and advertisers to target individuals who are looking for short-term changes to accomplish their desires, while perpetuating the insecurities of the consumer for the next New Year’s to come. Companies strive to sell to the weight loss audience at the start of January, which furthers the ideals of capitalism and profit for a select group of wealthy stakeholders. According to my NUTR 490 – Body Weight and Size Inclusivity course, we learned how $71 billion was gained in the dieting industry in 2020 because failed weight loss is part of the business model. The emphasis on appearance in advertisements distracts the customer from the real goal: power. For instance, weight loss teas, “fix your hip dips in 30 days” exercise classes, and the keto diet is less about actually achieving the intended goals but rather gaining control over the mind of the user. The idea of New Year’s resolutions in itself benefits solely the top 1% where quick fixes are the solution to achieve a certain image.
The inescapable reality behind this kind of resolution is that forcibly engaging in intense habits all of a sudden and attempting to shrink yourself for aesthetic purposes will lead to frustration. Regardless of whatever new diet, workout fad, or body standard is trending on January 1st of each year, jumping into any behavior abruptly leads to burnout. Instead, when you decide on a new goal throughout the year, slowly incorporate various routines and actions to reach this aspiration. This produces less frustration and longer term results that lead to an overall healthier life, instead of just a few weeks or months of consistency. Then, the next January 1st will just be another day of your new lifestyle rather than the dreaded day of change every single year.