Happy New Year! Diet culture takes advantage of this time when individuals feel they have a fresh start and a new year to look ahead to. It is easy to get swept up in the message that you must push yourself and make changes to have a meaningful year.
By: Ellen Coghlan
Instead, go into this year with kindness and grace. Take steps to push back against your eating disorder’s voice. Here are five ways to help do this in 2023:
Gratitude Practice
Diet culture instills in us that we should dislike things about ourselves and want to change these things. . It is often a marketing ploy to get us to invest in more weight loss and beauty products, but it can lead us into a spiral of feeling unworthy and discontent. For January, instead of falling for this propaganda, make a goal to write three things down every morning that you are grateful to your body for doing. Here are three examples:
- I am grateful that my body enables me to play with my children.
- I am grateful that my body can enjoy and warm up with a hot chocolate on the couch.
- I am grateful that my body allows me to smile at my neighbor every morning.
Shut Down New Diet Plan Comments from Family and Friends
We all know this time of year is full of diet talk and “health” goals. Work to set boundaries in your life to limit your interaction with conversations like these. One way to do this includes letting a coworker, family member, or friend know that you are focusing on growth in a different direction. You can also redirect the conversation by asking what they look forward to in the coming year.
You Do Not Have to Fall into the “Starting Fresh in January” Mindset
Your relationship with food, movement, and your body is something that is fluid throughout your life. This relationship does not need a “fresh start” every year. This can lead to all-or-nothing thinking and unrealistic goals and expectations. Remind yourself of your relationship with food and movement, which is an ongoing and lifelong journey with ups and downs. Keep moving forward with small steps on your journey, wherever you are right now.
Unfollow Accounts that Promote Diet Culture and “New Year, New Me” Messaging
Unfortunately, what we hear and what we tell ourselves over and over again, we start to believe. Social media is ripe with diet culture all year round, but especially at the start of the new year.t is challenging to avoid all diet-related talk. Challenge yourself to follow five new accounts that solely make you feel good. Curate a social media feed that lifts you! If you are struggling with this, try taking a break from these apps altogether, even if only for a day. Anything helps!
Use the Add Instead of Subtract Approach
Lastly, focus on adding to your life throughout the year rather than subtracting. Instead of eliminating X or losing Y, reframe this to bring more joy into your life. For example:
- Add a 5-minute dance party to your morning routine.
- Spend more time with your loved ones.
- Include two deep breaths before every meal.
The New Year can be an overwhelming time or an exciting one. It can also just be. It is another new day to continue doing your best and honoring your mind and body. Come back to these tips when tempted by the new year’s noise. Find ways to take that noise and turn it into something positive.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating and body image issues. In addition to our full-time Day Treatment Program and Weeknight Intensive Outpatient Program, we offer high-quality programming, nutrition counseling with a licensed dietitian, meal support, and various other groups and resources to help those seeking help for food concerns.
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This post was written by BALANCE Dietetic Intern, Ellen Coghlan (she/her).
Ellen is currently in her second year of graduate school at Hunter College pursuing a M.S in Nutrition. Ellen decided to switch careers and go back to school in hopes of working with those recovering from eating disorders after her own personal experience. She is passionate about helping empower others to live their most full, joyful lives. Outside school and work, Ellen enjoys podcasts, dinner with friends, and loud music in the kitchen.