NEW YEAR
SAME WONDERFUL YOU!

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

At the start of the year, you’ll likely be a part of several conversations about New Year’s resolutions. In fact, you may have already set out some for yourself – whether you want to move into a new home or find a new hobby. However, too often, these resolutions can breed toxicity, especially if they are focused on weight loss. While setting yourself a goal to be more healthy is perfectly fine, you must be careful that you don’t become too absorbed in ‘diet’ culture.

All too often, ‘diet’ resolutions set us up to fail, especially if you decide to follow an unrealistic fad diet – such as those endorsed by many celebrities on their social media channels. Remember, the photographs they use to promote their services are edited. They work closely with a personal trainer and a nutritionist – and have access to services, many of us cannot afford. Though you may notice initial weight loss, it can be hard to maintain, and can also lead to severe health complications further down the line.

Therefore, this year, choose to say no to harmful diet culture. Instead, focus on being your fabulous self. Learn to love and accept your body – and all of its flaws. You are perfect just the way you are.

However, if you are genuinely interested in getting healthier, or want to improve your nutritional health, there are several things you can do to bring about real change.

Don’t skip meals.

You must eat three healthy, balanced meals every day. Even if you are in a rush in the morning, make sure you set aside some time to eat breakfast – as this will provide you with a quick boost of energy and propel you through the rest of your day. You should also ensure you have plenty of small snacks throughout the day. If you’re prone to reaching for chocolate or a packet of crisps when you are hungry, why not swap them for a granola bar? Many people say they aren’t sure when to eat granola – but the answer is quite simple whenever you feel a craving for something sweet. It’s much better for you than eating chocolate and makes a delicious breakfast when paired with fruit and yoghurt.

Try new foods

Many of the diets you will see online focus on being restrictive. They will encourage you to cut out certain food groups entirely, such as carbs or sugars. However, you need to eat foods from each of the groups to supply your body with all of the nutrients it needs to survive. Therefore, instead of cutting out foods, try to diversify the kind of food you eat.

For example, you could try and follow a Mediterranean diet, which involves plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish. This means you are still providing your body with nutrients, but you aren’t cutting anything out of your diet or restricting yourself. Even better, it tastes delicious!

Although you may be craving a burger, remember that healthy foods don’t have to taste bad. That is a huge misconception – and they can actually taste BETTER than the food you get at your local takeaway. They just might take a little longer to prepare.

Exercise more

Exercise is essential if you want to see a real change in your body, fitness, and mental health. However, if you haven’t worked out in a while, the thought of going outside and exercising can be incredibly daunting. You may feel as though you will be judged or laughed at. Please know that this is not the case. Often, people are too caught up in what they are doing to look at anyone else. However, it is important that you start small. Start with light exercises, such as walking, and build your way up slowly.

If your local gym is closed, make the most of online exercise tutorials. They can help you stay in good shape from the comfort of your home. Here’s a great example.

Spend more time outside.

In 2020, it’s likely that a lot of your plans for socialising or going out were put on hold. As a result, you probably spent more time indoors than ever before. However, it is still important that you spend some time outside each day.

You can still go outside whilst keeping yourself and others safe. For example, you can start each day with a short walk around your local park – ensuring that you keep your distance from others. Studies have shown that spending time outdoors boosts your energy levels, improves fitness, and alleviates mental health issues, such as anxiety. If you usually drive to the store, why not walk there instead?

Make small changes

Small changes often reap the biggest rewards over time. For example, if you are a big fan of cola, why not switch to a low sugar, or decaffeinated version of the drink instead? The taste is pretty similar, but the alternatives are much healthier for you. Additionally, you should try to cut down on anything that is processed – swapping sweets for fruit slices etc. If you go out to eat at a restaurant, don’t be afraid to order your favourite burger – but have it with rice, salad or veggies instead of fries.

Don’t be afraid to treat yourself.

Diet culture often teaches you to shy away from things you love – such as sugary beverages, chocolates and sweets. However, whilst cutting down on them is a great way to get healthier, you don’t need to cut them out entirely. Understand that it is okay to treat yourself now and then.

Don’t be too harsh on yourself if you make a mistake. If you eat something you later regret, just decide to eat a little healthier over the coming days. Remember, no matter what your reflection looks like, you are beautiful. Your worth is not determined by how you look – and it never will be.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Note: This is a collaborative post.