For too many years I spent my summer holidays thinking ‘diet starts in Jan’. I mean, can you blame me? When you combine the ‘new year, new you’ messaging that floods our feeds, with the festive food guilt we’re conditioned to feel, it’s a toxic diet culture cocktail that most of us have been tempted to sip.
The study
I wanted to truly understand the pressures we face at this time of the year, and so we conducted a study with over 2,000 people. What did we find? That 4 in 5 women and non-binary people have set resolutions to lose weight or change their bodies. It was an interesting to say the least, and somewhat deflating.
Why? Because diet culture is everywhere. We’re constantly bombarded with transformation photos, ‘quick fix’ solutions, and far-fetched wellness trends that promise to change our lives (specifically, our bodies) overnight. Even casual comments with friends and family, like ‘I’ll need to burn that off’ or ‘diet starts in Jan’ may seem harmless, but they reinforce the idea that we need to shrink ourselves to start the new year ‘right.’ What I do want to reiterate here, though, is that a healthy way of life is something that I believe in and support. Unsustainable diet culture on the other hand? That’s a ‘no’ from me.
My experience
For years, I bought into it. I thought my worth and success were tied to how my body looked – and I know I’m not alone. These societal pressures to focus on appearance over wellbeing have been ingrained in so many of us, shaping how we approach not just the new year, but our entire relationship with ourselves.
But over time, I started to realise how exhausting, unsustainable, and frankly how toxic AF that cycle was. Thankfully, it no longer rules my mind. And let me tell you, the freedom of living without that weight (pun intended) feels 1000 times better than any number on the scale ever did.
The thing is, starting the new year striving to change our bodies isn’t just harmful – it’s also completely unrealistic. Because turns out, 95% of us fail to achieve these resolutions.
Failed new year’s resolutions
So, why are we ALL ‘failing’?
Firstly, and one of the most important things I want you to take away from this, is you are NOT a failure. The issue isn’t with you it’s the resolutions themselves. The truth is, society has been setting us up to fail. We’re made to believe that we need to completely overhaul our lives. To lose weight, we’re starting our year counting calories, restricting our diets and exercising excessively – all of which is just not sustainable.
Real, positive change happens when we focus on the long-term and aim for habits that can become part of our everyday lives. So, if your resolution isn’t something you can comfortably and happily maintain year-round, it’s time to revisit.
Why are we still doing this to ourselves?
As someone who’s lived through the vicious cycle of comparison and body-image struggles, I know how these pressures can consume you. Social media doesn’t help. It magnifies our insecurities. Making us believe life will be ‘that much better’ once we’re smaller.
We’ve been conditioned to think that our bodies are projects – that with the right amount of discipline, they can be transformed into something ‘better.’ But what if we stopped treating them like something to fix? What if our resolutions were about what truly makes us ‘feel’ good, instead of what we think will make us ‘look’ good?
Make 2025 the year you focus on feeling good
This year, I encourage you to try something different. Instead of punishing your body to meet impossible standards, focus on goals that nurture your mental and physical well-being. Ditch the detox and embrace the idea that your worth or ‘success’ isn’t defined by a number on the scale or a ‘picture-perfect’ image on social media.
Focus on building habits that fit into your life, not habits that force you to overhaul it. Because, here’s the thing about small, sustainable changes: they actually work. They’re not going viral, but trust me, they last. Choosing to move your body because it feels good, prioritising nourishing foods because they give you energy and making time for rest because you deserve it – these are the kinds of goals that lead to real, lasting happiness.
Because your journey isn’t about transforming into someone else. It’s about becoming the best version of you. And that version is already pretty damn incredible.
If you’re looking for inspo on how to enter 2025 feeling good, the Kic app is on sale now. Save up to 40% off when you sign up to the feel-good fitness app and access thousands of on-demand workouts, recipes and meditations. Sale ends 12th of January.
