Intuitive Eating Resolutions for 2023
When you think of New Year’s Resolutions, you think of dieting, eating healthy, exercising more often and all sorts of measures to change your body as the holiday season “threw you off track.”
It’s normal to fall into the pattern of wanting to start fresh and new in the new year. I get it!
There are many enticing diets or ~lifestyle changes~ such as dry January and Whole30. These may not seem like full-on diets as they usually only last for the month of January, but the restriction and food rules for one month can live with you for a long time.
So, what if you didn’t have to commit to any of those? What if this year you decided not to diet and decided to focus on your health in a new light?
Instead, you focus on your relationship with food and your body. There are no rules! You get to decide what’s best for you. Doesn’t that sound great?
Over the past year, my relationship with my body has continued to ebb and flow. I still struggle with my body image but am thankful I have the tools to help reel me back in when I begin to spiral in negative thoughts. That’s normal.
It’s not possible to never have a bad body image day. But, when I do have those days I remember what matters, and that’s not the size of my body. I focus on all the wonderful things about myself that have nothing to do with my body.
I get to wake up and live life
I get to wake up and eat foods that I love
I get to wake up and move my body in ways that bring me joy
I get to wake up and share my passion with others
I thank my body for waking up and getting me through the day
So here are three New Year's resolutions you can try this year that have nothing to do with dieting or weight loss.
1. Ditch Negative Self-Talk
How many of us are so much harsher on ourselves than we are on our friends? If you wouldn’t say something to your friend, why say it to yourself?
Speaking negatively about yourself never ends positively. In fact, studies show negative self-talk decreases mental health and leaves you feeling depressed or alone.
Negative self-talk is easy to start and spiral down. It’s hard to pull yourself up with positive self-talk. I get it.
Negative self-talk is something I continue to work on with the help of my therapist. We have worked through various exercises to get me to a better place and I am so thankful for that.
Here’s how I handle negative self-talk:
Acknowledge the thought
Thank the thought for being concerned or worried about us
Tell the thought you’re doing fine
Move forward without it
It sounds silly, but this process has helped me tremendously.
2. Focus on Movement You Enjoy
This time of year gym memberships are promoting their best deals ever, but if you don’t like to move your body in the gym don’t buy that membership.
Forcing yourself to work out in ways that drain you will only leave you feeling burnt out and over it. Ultimately, discouraging you from moving your body.
We all know being active is important for various reasons besides weight loss. I’ve previously written about the benefits of physical activity.
Finding what makes you excited to move your body is important. I love playing tennis and I always look forward to when I get to be back on the court.
I also really enjoy cleaning and that movement counts just as much as playing a tennis match. Maybe you don’t know what you like, so I encourage you to try something new.
Note: If you are in the Louisville area, I know of a women’s walking club that meets in the spring through the fall. I have been wanting to go to a club walk because that’s a great way to move your body and meet new people.
If you love dancing, try finding a dance class to join. If you love swimming, get a new swimsuit that fits and you feel comfortable in and hit the pool.
There is nothing worse than punishing yourself for what you ate with exercise. Instead, focus on the enjoyment that moving your body can bring you. It brings me joy, freedom, peace, relaxation, and gratefulness that my body can move in ways I enjoy.
3. Practice Allowing All Foods to Fit Into Your Diet
I’m sure you all had heard the phrase, “All foods fit,” but it’s true! There are no foods that are inherently bad and going to cause you to solely gain weight. On the other hand, there are no foods that are inherently good for you and are going to cause you to lose weight.
All foods provide you with calories, nutrients, and satisfaction. Yes, some foods may provide more vitamins than others but they may not check off that satisfaction factor like other types of food.
It’s important to remember that food is just food. That is it! Diet culture and the wellness industry have complicated nutrition and food, but if we go back to the basics, food is just food.
If you have dieted for years or decades this concept might feel strange to you and trust me you are not alone.
You have been engrained to believe that there are good foods and there are bad foods, but, and this is important, all foods fit.
Even a chocolate chip cookie provides you with calories, carbs, fat, and fiber — plus chocolate has been known to help with relaxation and some types are antioxidants.
So this year, I challenge you to ditch the labeling of food as good versus bad and label it as just food.
Allow yourself to have unconditional permission to eat the foods that have been on your “bad” list
Take note of how you feel before and after
Leave the guilt and shame in 2022 and eat foods that bring you memories and satisfaction
Try buying a “banned” food from the grocery once a week or once a month
Breaking up with food labeling is one step closer to finding food freedom.
Have a Great 2023
I hope 2023 is a prosperous year for you! Let this be the year that you break up with dieting and focus on your relationship with food and your body in a positive light.
No more fad diets. No more exercise challenges that you dread. Just you doing the work to take with you for years down the road.
Happy New Year!
Wanting to Find Food Freedom in 2023?
Elizabeth McIntyre is a registered dietician in Louisville, KY helping people find their new appetite for balance. Reach out today to begin your happier, fuller life.