Here’s Why You Should Skip Weight Loss as a Resolution This Year
Here we are again, the dreaded January where everyone is challenged to set unrealistic resolutions for the new year. The time we’re encouraged to feel shame for our food decisions in December and “make up for it” by buying that expensive gym membership in January. I’m so over it.
Here’s why you should skip weight loss as a resolution this year:
Diets don’t work!
Over your lifetime, how many diets have you tried? I know, I know, you’re about to tell me that one of them “totally worked!” And you know what I have to say? Then why isn’t it still working? We blame our lack of willpower on why a diet once worked, but wasn’t sustained, but the truth is… you aren’t the problem, diets are. Diets aren’t sustainable and they aren’t built to be. The global weight management market hit $470 billion this year. The market depends on the failure of diets so that we continue to come back over and over and over again.
Whatever you’re blaming on your weight has nothing to do with your weight
We receive marketing since birth that our every happiness is achieved by fitting into conventional beauty standards. It’s so bad that we actually believe we won’t find love, connection, happiness, wealth, or health unless our body is a specific size. You know what would be a great alternative resolution? Exploring your relationship with your body to understand what messages are present for you. Going to therapy or seeing a dietitian may be so much more transformative than that gym membership this year. And if you’re thinking, “That’s all fine, but my medical diagnosis is directly related to my weight”, you’re not the only one. This one can feel awfully sticky for folks and is a much larger topic. I would love to point you to some Health at Every Size resources to start the conversation.
It ignores areas of health
Following a strict diet actually encourages you to rely upon external rules rather than body cues. It separates you from accessing your naturally occurring sense of hunger and fullness. It is not flexible for meeting your mental and emotional needs. It ignores the importance of friendship and connection and often gets in the way of grabbing a bite to eat with others. It contributes to weight cycling, which is more taxing on the body than weight stability. It can become all consuming.
If you’re interested in trying something different this year, I’d love to work with you!
Instead of weight loss, we work towards helping you...
Feel empowered and confident in the way you feed yourself
Feel good in your body
Move the way you want
Have improved body image
Isn’t that what you’ve always been hoping a diet would do anyway? Believe it or not, those things can be achieved while not focusing on your weight.
To get started, schedule a free discovery call or email me at emma@blacksheepnutrition.com.