New Year, New You?

It’s that time of year when we are bombarded with messages urging us to go to the gym, or try a new diet. It’s all too common to make New Year’s resolutions because we are tired of how something is going (for example our weight) and want to change, but we don’t really think about how the experience of achieving the goals will effect those around us. As a mom of young athletes & a Registered Dietitian specializing in eating disorders, I know all too well that the way we think about food & bodies is deeply shaped by our environment. Our kids are like sponges, watching everything we do & say-what we role model & what we say aloud. They way we talk about other people’s bodies, the way we speak about our own body, going on diet after diet, talking about food as good or bad, counting calories, etc. When we center our goals around weight loss, we are passing body shame to our kids & they learn that controlling their own body must be important too.

I’ve come to realize that one of the most reoccurring issues my college student clients struggle with, after making significant progress in creating healthier relationships with food & their bodies during the semester, is returning home for breaks and facing environments that unintentionally reinforce harmful ideas about diet culture. It can feel like starting over for them, which is disheartening.

Common things our kids can learn from us:

• You need to (and can) control your body

• Women should be small & self worth is tied to appearance

• When you don’t like your body, go on a diet

• Weighing & measuring your food is normal.

• Stepping on the scale is normal

• Calories are bad

Can we instead create intentions that have nothing to do with eliminating foods, starving yourself, or weighing less? Can we create goals that instead feel empowering, are sustainable & work towards building healthier relationships with food & body.

I will eat healthier

I will honor my food choices.

I will work out every day

I will listen to my body, take rest days if needed & be mindful of how food & movement make me feel.

I will lose X number of pounds

I will respect my body no matter its size.

I will eat less carbs

I will eat more carbs. Carbs are the goat! The star! Protein and fat matter too, but let’s be real- carbs are the most important macronutrient.

I will eat less sugar

I will allow myself to find joy in all foods. Eliminating foods leads to deprivation & food shame & can set yourself up for bingeing.

I will be more productive

I will treat myself with kindness, patience and understanding, especially on tough days. I will speak up for myself, set boundaries and ask for what I need.

Cheers to making 2025 a year we opt out of diet culture, honor our bodies, & end the cycle of food & body shame so that our kids can grow up trusting THEIR bodies.