Commit to NOT going on another diet in 2019
With 2018 coming to an end, its that time of year for reflection and wonder for what 2019 will bring us. But it also seems that each year there is an ever-present pressure to kickoff 2019 with some kind of fad diet, cleanse, detox, or intense exercise routine (or all of the above). But why?
The holidays often bring an overabundance of decadent foods and desserts, social gatherings, alcohol and routines that have gone to the wayside, which can leave you feeling run down or like you haven’t been eating as balanced as you want to be. But is a quick-fix diet really the solution?
You may be thinking, “whats the harm in doing Whole30?” Diets can be alluring for many reasons and sell hope that this one diet will finally change your life, but the reality is that there are so many dangers of dieting that are never talked about. We’ll save that for our next post though-stay tuned.
Instead of being part of our crazy diet-culture and all the messages to hit the gym/lose weight/eliminate foods/restrict yourself, I encourage you to commit to NOT go on a diet this year! Here’s some ideas of resolutions that are recovery-focused:
- Clean up your social media feed. A recent study ranked Instagram as the worst social media network for mental health, and who you are following can have a huge impact on your own body image. What does your feed look like? It can be helpful to diversify your account-follow people of all different body types, shapes and sizes. Is that #foodporn making you feel like your breakfast just isn’t good enough? It may be time to unfollow them to protect your peace of mind.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. Social media gives us a view of other people’s lives, but we don’t see the whole picture. Where else do you find yourself feeling like you aren’t good enough? Does the gym leave you feeling worse then when you started your workout from looking at other people’s bodies? Maybe its time to ditch the gym membership and find movement that makes you feel good.
- Try new foods. Variety is so important in recovery-it keeps things interesting so you don’t get burnt out on foods, but also gives your body different nutrients that it needs. Why not commit to trying one new recipe each week? Create a Pinterest board of recipes that you’ve been eyeing up but haven’t made. Or maybe make a lateral move and try a different seasonal fruit to go with your breakfast.
There are SO many more productive ways to work on yourself and on your recovery in 2019. What non-diet resolutions are you committing to this year?
