Unlock a happy gut!
Discover the secrets to a happy gut and effortless pooing with your FREE 5-step guide.
Join now and get instant access to expert tips from dietitian Kim. Say goodbye to digestive woes and hello to better health.
24 New Year's Resolutions for 2024 (non diet edition)
Setting goals for the new year can feel inspiring and exciting. Traditionally New Year’s resolutions have focused on weight loss and dieting. In January we are inundated with detoxes, gym memberships, and inspirational messages to get the body we have always dreamed of.
But what if diets don’t actually work and end up causing more harm to your physical and mental health? What is there is a way to improve your health without needing to lose weight?
If you want to improve your health without the side of diet culture, here are 24 New Year’s resolutions for 2024.
1. Eat regularly
Many of us are not eating regularly enough. This year try to consistently enjoy 3 meals AND snacks daily. Simply eating more can help you feel energised, regulate your appetite, and improve your relationship with food. I know diet culture has made us scared to eat but I promise prioritising your meals and snacks can make such a difference.
2. Delete the calorie tracking apps on your phone
You don’t need them.
3. Start eating carbs again
I know you have been told to fear carbs but I promise eating carbs will feel so good. Carbohydrates are important for our brain function, energy levels, and they ensure we get adequate fibre in our diet to keep us regular and improve our gut microbiome. What can’t carbs do?
4. Up your fluids
I see you with your emotional support water bottle that you never drink from. It’s time to put that bottle to use and get our 1.5-2L of fluid in per day. You don’t like water? No worries. Try adding flavour from cordial, fruits, herbs, or flavoured water drops. Let’s make 2024 the year of hydration.
5. Ditch the "good" and "bad" food labels
Assigning a moral value to food is not helping anyone. Instead of calling food “good” and “bad” why not try calling it by it’s name? The same goes for “junk” food, “toxic” ingredients, and “clean” eating. These terms are meaningless and only make you feel guilty for eating food. Let’s call food by it’s name in 2024.
6. Find movement you enjoy
Moving our body is so good for our physical and mental health. You do not need to sweat it out in the gym to get the benefits of movement. Find physical activity you actually enjoy such as dancing, swimming, walking your dog, rock climbing, or lawn bowls. The best movement is something you will do.
7. Learn to cook a new meal
Bring some excitement to your taste buds and learn to cook a new meal. It might just become regular.
Here are a couple of recipes I enjoy to get you inspired – this burnt aubergine chilli is a favourite of mine and this Thai cashew chicken stir fry is the perfect mid week meal.
8. Start meal planning
Sitting down and planning your meals for the week is a great way to ensure you are eating regularly, it reduces decision fatigue during the week, and saves you money on groceries and eating out.
9. Throw away your scales
You don’t need them.
10. Do a social media audit
Social media can be a great way to connect and learn, but it can also be a place to feel guilt and shame for your body and food choices. It’s time to unfollow or mute any person that makes you feel bad about your body and what you eat.
11. Question the BMI
The BMI (body mass index) is a tool that is used in healthcare to judge and categorise our body. But there are many issues with the BMI and the assumption that we can change our weight. It’s time to ditch BMI as a health measure and let your health professionals know you don’t want to focus on your weight.
12. Improve your sleep
Sleep is important for our body to rest, repair, and recover. If you are able to improve your sleep habits this year that will make such a difference to your health. Try limiting screen time before bed, reading a book, drinking some herbal tea, or having a bath to help you unwind.
13. Foster social connections
Social connection is so important for our health. Finding new ways to connect or deepen already existing relationships is a wonderful goal for 2024. You could ask people over for dinner, go on walking dates, join a club or reach out to new people.
14. Book a skin check
It is something we often forget about, but booking your skin cancer screening is a great and potentially life saving goal for 2024.
15. While you're at it, complete your other health screenings
Attend health screenings you are eligible for such as pap smears, bowel cancer screenings, or mammograms. it may not be an exciting New Year’s resolution but it is an important one.
16. Quit dieting
Intermittent fasting, detoxes, paleo, keto, calorie counting, low-carb, meal plans – the list goes on for the different ways we are sold diets. But diets do not work and are more likely to have a negative effect on your physical and mental health in the long-run. Instead of dieting you can look into the non-diet approach as a way to approach food and health.
17. Enjoy food without guilt
Feeling guilty for eating food sets you up for the restrict-binge cycle. Try to have self-compassion and accept your food choices without judgement.
18. Avoid unnecessary supplements
Nutrition supplements are great for people who have deficiencies or those who have specific health or fitness goals. But many supplements are unnecessary and use marketing to promote their product. There is little evidence behind many supplements such as probiotics for bloating or adding a multi-vitamin on top of an already balanced diet.
If you are unsure whether you need a supplement, start by getting a blood test with your doctor and speak to your doctor or dietitian about what is right for you. Remember, the supplement industry is not strictly regulated like medications and it always pays to look into a supplement before purchase.
19. Explore body neutrality
What if you don’t need to hate or love your body. Body neutrality is different to body positivity as it doesn’t require us to love our body or feel confident in how we look. Instead, body neutrality invites us to view our body as neither good or bad, it is simply the home that carries us through life. We shift our focus from judging how our body looks, to what our body can do and how we can respect and care for our home.
20. Get rid of clothes that don't fit
Holding onto your “weight goal jeans” or a dress you fit into 10 years ago can be a form of weight monitoring and it can feel terrible to feel like you are not good enough until you fit into these smaller clothes. It is time to part with the clothes that make you feel bad about being you. Clothes are meant to fit you, not the other way around!
21. Reflect on your feelings about food
How does food make you feel? Do you get a wave of anxiety and stress when you need to make a food decision? Is food something you enjoy but you are often left with guilt for ‘overindulging’? Does food contribute to uncomfortable digestive symptoms and is something you have come to fear?
The way we feel about food greatly impacts our food choices and our relationship with food. Thankfully we are able to improve our relationship with food and reduce the stress, worry, and shame that can come with our eating choices. Speaking with a dietitian and/or a psychologist who specialise in this area is a great place to start.
22. Stop commenting on other's body's
It remains normal to make comments on another person’s body. Or maybe you are on the receiving end of these comments.
But we never know what someone is going through and commenting on a person’s body shape or size or their food choices could have a big impact to their mental and physical health. Rather than commenting on a person’s body try complimenting their personality, celebrating their achievements, or simply asking how they are going.
23. Learn a new skill
Learning new skills and developing hobbies is great for our mind and can be a wonderful distraction from disruptive thoughts about food and body that can so often plague us. It can as simple as learning to do sudoku puzzles or as big as developing some home renovation skills.
24. Get support
You don’t need to do it alone. Working alongside a supportive dietitian can help improve your relationship with food and guide you in the best direction for improving your health in a compassionate and gentle way. Find out more about online consultations, rebates and bulk billing here. I would love to support your journey in 2024.
Are you trying any of these goals this year or do you have a different resolution? I would love to hear in the comments below.
About
Kim Lindsay, APD
Kim Lindsay is an accredited practicing dietitian and credentialed eating disorder clinician.
She provides online dietitian appointments for people who want to improve their health while developing a positive relationship with food. Kim has a special interest in disordered eating, chronic dieting, and digestive health.
