Reclaiming Natural Cycles of Renewal

I wanted to title this post, “New Year, Same Awesome You!” but as soon as I saw that in type, I knew it wouldn’t work.

The reality is most of us are not walking around thinking we are awesome. Most of us walk around fixating on changing some aspect of ourselves every day. Whether we want to change our body, our personality, our job, our home, our relationship or our financial situation… whether the change we envision is large or small… it’s rare for us humans to be 100% satisfied with every aspect of who we are (this is especially true in a white supremacist, colonial capitalist patriarchy but that argument is beyond the scope of this post). So, actually, when we are going around thinking that some change would be nice, the “New Year, New You” concept is awfully seductive.

The idea of a fresh start around the cycles of the year is deeply rooted in human history. Throughout cultures worldwide, the observation of seasonal changes and the beginning of a new cycle has been marked by rituals and festivities, symbolizing renewal, rebirth and hope for the future.

The truth is that what gets so many of us running en masse to the nearest gym in January is that we DO want change and we are culturally habituated to cycles of renewal. This a healthy and natural part of the project of being a human.

The problem arises when this natural inclination towards evolution and renewal becomes entangled with the self-defeating ritual of body dissatisfaction imposed by a profit-driven Diet Culture. Exploiting this human desire for change, Diet Culture promises a 'whole new you' (hot body and all) – and usually, in under 16 weeks! Diet culture perpetuates the idea that our worth is tied to our weight, promoting unrealistic beauty standards and fostering a negative relationship with food and our bodies.

A new year often brings about a wave of resolutions centered around weight loss. Body hatred has become a normalized New Year routine. At its core, the “New Year, New You” mantra feeds the pervasive narrative that a thinner body equates to a better, happier, and more successful life. The message is that, of all the changes we could want for our lives, a thinner body is the most important goal we could pursue. This creates harmful cycle of body dissatisfaction, self-criticism, and a distorted view of health and well-being.

What if this year could be different?
What if I told you that there’s a more fulfilling and sustainable path to health and well-being – one that doesn’t involve restrictive diets or the relentless pursuit of a certain body type?

Instead of fixating on weight-centered goals, what if I told you that embracing a weight-neutral approach to health and wellness could honor your innate desire for change as well as the excitement of renewal? Because it totally can.
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We’ve been conditioned to equate wellness with a certain body shape or size, overlooking the diverse factors that contribute to our overall well-being. Wellness encompasses a broad spectrum of elements – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – that all work together to create a balanced and fulfilling life. It’s about nurturing ourselves from the inside out, fostering a positive relationship with our bodies, minds, and souls. And the key to achieving this lies in adopting sustainable habits and a compassionate mindset, rather than adhering to strict diets or punishing fitness regimens.

Here are 7 reasons to steer clear of diet resolutions and embrace weight-neutral health and wellness goals this year:

1. Sustainable and Lasting Results: Diets offer quick fixes but they almost never result in sustainable, long-term health improvements. Embracing weight-neutral wellness involves adopting truly sustainable lifestyle changes that promote lasting health benefits. Focus on gentle nutrition, staying active in ways that bring you joy, and cultivating a positive mindset.
2. Mental and Emotional Well-being: Dieting takes a toll on mental health, leading to stress, anxiety and negative body image. Shifting away from diet culture allows you to prioritize mental and emotional well-being. Practicing self-compassion, body acceptance, and mindful eating fosters a healthier relationship with food and promotes a positive body image.
3. Celebration of Diversity and Inclusion: The Health at Every Size (HAES) approach emphasizes that health is not determined by weight. It encourages people to focus on healthy behaviors rather than weight loss. Embracing HAES promotes inclusivity, body diversity, and acceptance, emphasizing that health comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
4. Freedom from Restriction and Guilt: Dieting often involves strict rules and restrictions that eventually lead to feelings of guilt or failure. Embracing a weight-neutral approach frees you from the cycle of restriction and guilt associated with diets. It allows you to listen to your body’s cues, eat intuitively, and enjoy a range of foods without judgement.
5. Reclaiming Your Version of Holistic Wellness: Weight-neutral wellness shifts the focus from a singular emphasis on weight to a holistic approach that encompasses various aspects of health. It encourages nurturing the 8 dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, occupational, and financial) for a more fulfilling life.
6. Rejecting Diet Culture’s Harmful Messages: Diet culture perpetuates harmful messages that promote body dissatisfaction, comparison, and unrealistic beauty standards. By leaving diet culture behind, you reject these damaging messages and create a space for self-acceptance, diversity, and a more inclusive view of health.
7. Embracing Self-Care and Radical Self-Love: Weight-neutral health and wellness encourages self-care practices that prioritize self-love and self-compassion. Engaging in activities that promote self-care, such as mindfulness, relaxation and rest, hobbies, and meaningful connections contributes to overall well-being and a positive sense of self.
   
   

In the end, I’m not going to discourage you from getting after that New Year Resolution for change – and rebirth and renewal – that, like so many of us, you may be naturally seeking at this time of year. Of course, I want you to think you are awesome exactly as you are in this moment. I want all of us to believe that we are awesome just as we are. But, most of us don’t. And, even if we do… we can still want some change.
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Instead, I would like to offer you an invitation to a fresh start. I would like to offer you a whole new way of approaching your health and well-being that will allow you to break free from the vicious cycle of body dissatisfaction and dieting and embrace a more fulfilling and sustainable lifestyle based in awareness, compassion and acceptance. Reclaim your natural cycles of renewal from diet culture! You will open yourself up to a world of possibilities – a world where health is measured in more than weight, and true wellness thrives in all its diverse forms.