A New Year Doesn’t Need a “New You”
New Year’s is fraught with cleanses, detoxes, challenges and other attempts to “fix” you.
You don’t need those things.
Perhaps you could use some healthier habits, but I’ve yet to see balanced, sustainable and healthy habits come out of most of the well marketed “New Year, New You” programs. But they often do produce “results”….sort of.
It’s Not Sustainable
When we take on a new (often difficult) restrictive eating pattern or training program, there tend to be some results – whether that’s weight loss, feeling better or an increase in energy. However, these programs are often difficult to sustain and maintain in real life, especially when work gets crazy, a kid gets sick or we hit some rough patches in relationships.
It doesn’t really work because it’s restrictive. It was made for marketing, not for supporting you as a woman in a specific season of life. You might feel better because you’re removing a lot of the things that can drain your energy or make you feel sluggish – things like sugar and highly processed foods.
If you’re able to move to more whole foods on a consistent basis, you’ll see similar results – this time over the long term versus the short term. But consistency and new habits don’t come from a detox, cleanse or reset. At the end of these “fixes” there is often a sense of relief, as you feel ready to return to “normal eating”, whatever that looks like for you.
We Think We Need A:
- Meal Plan
- Bootcamp
- Detox
- Cleanse
- Reset
- Whole 30 month
Those may “help” but as I’ve mentioned, it’s often short term, and if you’re playing the dangerous game of extreme calorie restriction it can create a frustrating yo-yo effect when you are on again off again with restrictive eating. Each time your body goes through the restriction phase it will hold onto more weight in anticipation of going into starvation mode.
Our bodies are incredibly complex and brilliant – something that’s often not taken into account when a detox, challenge or cleanse is designed.
In addition, our needs as women are rarely considered. Throughout our lives, our hormones are shifting – with the biggest shifts happening at puberty and in menopause (btw, the transition to menopause usually begins in your 40’s). This can change how our body uses fuel (aka food), how we feel about things (hey there mood swings & meno-rage) and what it takes to get through the day.
If you see a program created by a guy with six pack abs, it’s very likely he does not have your hormones and overall health in mind.
However, at this time of year we’re often feeling tired and “done” with the excess intake of sugar, caffeine, alcohol and rich foods. When that beautifully designed marketing campaign for a reset or detox comes across your insta feed, it can feel like just the thing you need. (And this is exactly how marketers have created it to feel).
Don’t hit that “learn more” button yet!
If you can resist the quick fix, instead embracing small and steady changes, you’ll feel remarkably better in the long run (i.e. on New Year’s eve this coming year!). As shown by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits (highly recommend this read, by the way), getting just 1% better each day leads to being 37 TIMES better by the end of the year!
Wait, what?
Start Small, See Big Results
That means instead of taking on a massive calorie restriction or difficult detox program for 7-30 days, you add one veggie to your plate today. Just one. At just one meal.
Start with something that is relatively easy and very (VERY) slowly build from there. Start with one veggie on the plate once a day. Two weeks later try having a veggie at 2 meals per day. Keep progressing and you’ll end the year enjoying colourful salads on the regular.
Seriously.
So with this in mind, what do you need this year? Really truly, you are the only person who can decide this. Maybe this is the year you don’t make a shift. Let your goals be yours, not someone else’s, and definitely not from an IG account.
May I gently suggest that if you are looking for a shift, what you might need is:
- Recipes you’ll actually use (healthy, if that’s your focus)
- Regular movement you enjoy
- More daylight exposure
- An earlier bedtime
- Support (a friend, an app, a coach)
- Less caffeine & alcohol (yes, you can still have your morning coffee!)
If you want to ring in 2024 with the same amazing you, including a few new healthy habits on board, then step back from the onslaught of January marketing. Make small changes and keep going, upping the ante in stages. THIS is what makes for the change you desire, not a 30 day fix.
And if support is what you need, I’m just a call away. I can help you figure out your next step, whether that’s moving into coaching with me or something else. Either way, Happy New Year to you (yes you, just as you are, no cleanse required).
