New Year’s Resolutions: Harmful or Helpful?
As we enter 2025, the talk of New Year’s resolutions has begun to fill our conversations, social media feeds, and inboxes. And, let’s be real – resolutions are often closely tied to diet culture. We’ve all seen (or felt!) that pressure to focus on weight loss, fitness goals, or “fixing” some part of ourselves as we set intentions for the new year. For those in eating disorder recovery, this can feel overwhelming.
As an eating disorder dietitian, I see how New Year’s resolutions can create anxiety or reinforce harmful behaviors. Let’s dive into how traditional resolutions can sometimes be harmful, particularly through diet culture’s influence, and explore ideas for reframing resolutions in a way that supports self-connection and honors what truly matters.
The Harmful Side of New Year’s Resolutions
For many, New Year’s resolutions are often synonymous with self-criticism. The common idea is that we need to change something about ourselves to be “better.” Diet culture swoops in to reinforce this message, claiming that a “new year, new you” is just a diet or workout plan away. This approach is not only unhealthy but can also be especially harmful for individuals in eating disorder recovery, as it can trigger or reinforce unhealthy patterns around food and body image.
Here’s how resolutions can be harmful:
Reinforcing Shame and Guilt: When we set goals based on things we think are “wrong” with us, we’re often starting from a place of shame. This can be especially damaging for those in eating disorder recovery, as it can trigger cycles of negative self-talk or perfectionism that make it harder to build a positive relationship with food and body.
Fueling Obsessive Dieting and Exercise: Resolutions often lead to extremes—cutting out entire food groups, overhauling exercise routines, or rigid “health” behaviors. This all-or-nothing mindset is a key part of diet culture and is neither healthy nor sustainable.
Setting Us Up for Failure: Let’s be honest – “I’m going to eat perfectly and exercise every day” isn’t realistic or healthy. When we inevitably slip, it’s easy to feel like we’ve failed, which can damage self-esteem and make recovery more challenging.
How Diet Culture Profits from New Year’s Resolutions
Diet culture loves New Year’s resolutions because it’s a prime time for selling the idea of transformation. Promises of becoming a “new you” through weight loss or diet changes fill countless ads, social media posts, and advice columns. The problem is, these promises rarely come from a place of wanting to support real, meaningful growth. Instead, diet culture leverages our insecurities to sell products, plans, and programs that reinforce a cycle of restriction and dissatisfaction.
Diet culture hides in sneaky places like “wellness” and “self-care” language – it’s not always about diets directly but often disguised as “clean eating,” “detoxing,” or “transforming your life.” This messaging can be particularly harmful, undermining recovery goals by pushing restrictive practices.
Reclaiming Resolutions: Setting Intentions that Nourish
The good news is, we can take back New Year’s resolutions! The new year is a natural time for reflection, and it can be a beautiful opportunity to connect with our values and goals. Here’s how to make New Year’s resolutions work for you, in a way that nurtures, rather than punishes, your relationship with yourself.
Start with Self-Compassion: Instead of focusing on what you “should” change, consider what you’re already proud of. What strengths or positive qualities do you want to nurture this year?
Set Values-Based Intentions: Shift away from outcome-based resolutions like “I want to lose weight” or “I’ll exercise every day.” Instead, consider values that reflect what matters most to you – like creativity, mindfulness, community, or courage.
Focus on Adding, Not Taking Away: Rather than setting goals to restrict or eliminate, think about what you’d like to add. For example, instead of resolving to cut out foods, consider exploring new recipes or trying foods from other cultures that bring joy and excitement to meals.
Practice Flexibility and Realism: Recognize that life will have its ups and downs, and there’s no need to pursue “perfection.” Being flexible with your intentions allows you to adapt as your needs change. This kind of self-kindness is especially beneficial for individuals in eating disorder recovery who are working to redefine their relationship with food and body.
A New Kind of Resolution
Ultimately, New Year’s resolutions should be about building the life we want in a way that aligns with who we truly are. When we let go of diet culture’s demands and embrace our own values, resolutions can become an empowering part of our growth.
So, as we step into this new year, let’s set resolutions that reflect kindness, authenticity, and joy. Instead of “New Year, New You,” let’s celebrate the “New Year, True You.”
Contact Us
Emilee Young, RDN, LD is an eating disorder dietitian and founder of Embrace Nutrition Counseling.
She supports all ages and genders in healing their relationship with food and embracing their natural body size. She specializes in binge eating disorder and works from a Health at Every Size and Intuitive Eating framework.
Embrace Nutrition Counseling provides virtual nutrition counseling to residents in Virginia, DC, and Maryland. Virtual locations include Bethesda, Baltimore, Columbia, and College Park, Maryland.
Services offered include support for:
Binge Eating Disorder
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Other Specified Eating Disorder
ARFID
Prenatal and Postnatal Nutrition.
