Extreme Makeover: New Year’s Resolution Edition

Weight loss programs, gyms, and the diet industry are gearing up for the influx of people resolving to improve their health. Many of them, defining health as weight loss. Undoubtedly, the New Year is the most popular time to create and attempt a promising new health regimen.

“New Year, new me” is how the saying goes. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this logic, the intention behind New Year’s resolutions, especially health resolutions is often skewed. And this is ultimately why so many people cancel their gym membership by February and return to unhealthy eating habits shortly thereafter.

In order for New Year’s resolutions to become lifestyle habits (which is their true intent), they must be created from a place of love. Resolving to eat healthier will only stick long term if you are clear about the why behind the intention. Intending to eat healthier because you can’t stand your body after indulging in one too many christmas cookies is vastly different than desiring to feel energized and nourished throughout the day.

So, in 2025, five typical New Year’s health resolutions are receiving a makeover. Instead of attempting to apply a conventional resolution come January first, improve your well being with a revamped version that is sustainable and born from self love.

Extreme Makeover: New Year’s Resolution Edition

Instead of “Lose x amount of weight” try “Allow my body to find its healthy set point range.”

Wanting to lose weight isn’t wrong, but wanting to do so from a place of self hatred or because friends are, or for the next Cabo vacation is bound to fizzle quickly. Plus, when a health goal is tied to a specific number, achieving anything but that number can lead to loss of motivation and discouragement- the surest way to abandon even the best intentions.

Shifting your mindset to desiring weight loss because you love your body and want it to look and feel its best will always lead to effective results. Because, when you intend to do something from love, that’s innate motivation. You tend to treat people and things you love with respect, compassion, and vigor. Thus, treating your body as such by fueling it with wholesome nourishing foods, moving regularly, and prioritizing self care will naturally allow it to settle at a healthy weight range.    

 Instead of “I will exercise for an hour every day” try “I will discover what kind of movement my body enjoys.”

Despite the bootcamp, spin and 45 minute HIIT ads convincing everyone to hop on their bandwagon come the New Year, discovering movement that your body enjoys is vital towards creating a lasting exercise plan. And if you’re exercising for the first time or first time following a long hiatus, it’s prudent to commit to more realistic aspirations.

Exercising for an hour every day of the week is a lofty goal and while it is certainly achievable for the veteran who truly loves their workout regimen, it can quickly lead to burnout and overly sore muscles for the beginner. Rather, commit yourself to trying out different types of workouts for 15-30 minutes a day at first, increasing the time by 5-15 minutes every couple of weeks until you find what works for you and your body.

Instead of “I will only eat healthy foods” try “I will eat two meals composed of whole foods every day.”

Depriving yourself of favorite indulgences only makes your mind desire it more- kind of a like a teenager sneaking out to see XYZ because their parents forbid them to see XYZ anymore! Thus, rather than trying Whole 365 (Whole 30 every day of the year), simply make the majority of your meals with whole foods.

Whole foods are filled with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and many other beneficial phytochemicals. They naturally allow your body to flourish while reducing risk of many chronic diseases as well. 

Committing yourself to eating two full meals including only whole foods helps safeguard against nutrient deficiencies and supplies your body with healthful compounds. Plus, allowing yourself one meal to slightly indulge or simply eat what you’re craving inherently reduces pesky cravings for highly refined, high sugar and fat foods. However, after feeling the effects of whole foods on the inside and likely outside as well, you may just want to whole-ify the majority of meals throughout the week, treating yourself only once or twice! 

 Instead of “I won’t eat out at restaurants” try “I will meal prep X amount of nutritious meals three days a week.”

A very achievable endeavor given the current state of the world, reframing an “I won’t” to an “I will” will still render more powerful results. Shifting negative energy into positive energy is one of the simplest ways to create lasting change. Like mentioned just prior, the mind wants what it seemingly can’t have. So, committing to doing something rather than depriving yourself of something will feel empowering, leading to more desirable outcomes like eating out less because food already awaits in the fridge.

Cooking not your forte? Personal Chef services like A Perfect Fit can help with that. The chefs and Dietitians at A Perfect Fit not only prep delectably nutritious meals, they can also create grocery shopping lists, do the actual grocery shopping and offer nutrition counseling if qualified. Services such as these can easily help you achieve all your health goals by stocking your fridge with dietitian-approved foods and meals!

Instead of “I will quit drinking alcohol” try “I commit to enjoying one to two drinks for special occasions.” 

Lastly, rather than swearing off the nightly wine cap or favorite cocktail at a trendy bar, try practicing gratitude to moderate alcohol intake. Hopefully by now it’s evident that resolution via deprivation isn’t favorable, usually not sustainable either.

But feeling grateful for the few times you do allow yourself a drink or two can naturally help you moderate intake. Research- scientific and anecdotal- continually demonstrate the power of gratitude. Take this practice up a notch by expressing the specifics of your beloved drinks. Whether you enjoy the antioxidant boost of red wine or the nostalgia of a light beer, expressing your love will allow you to appreciate and moderate it that much more.