#BodyKindness: Ditch the Diet Resolutions

This year, make a resolution that factors in self-compassion with these tips from Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN, author of Body Kindness. 

Now’s the time to adopt these three keys to healthier and happier living.

Looking to shed some holiday pounds? You’re not alone—weight loss is consistently a top New Year’s resolution. While the $65-billion-a-year diet industry pushing pills, supplements, and plans would love to keep taking your money, the fastest way to rebound from recent holiday weight gain is simply to get back on track with your tried-and-true healthy living habits.

Don’t be fooled by those “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle” plans, either. If the plan is setting external rules around calories, types of foods you can and can’t eat, has the word “detox” or “cleanse” in it, and doesn’t address what to do when you’re hungry, it’s not a lifestyle (it’s a diet in disguise).

I find the problem is that if people aren’t following someone else’s diet plan, they aren’t sure what to do when they need that reset (and we all feel the need to “reset” after the holidays, raising my hand here).

There’s nothing wrong with structure and plans, which is why I’m giving you one right here. Here’s how you can try a new diet-free approach to resetting your health habits.

1. Be real.

Set realistic goals. The holidays were not just a few days; they essentially span over an eight-week period. Give yourself compassionate and realistic goals–not drastic–that are spread over a reasonable time frame.

Tip: Return to whatever eating habits were easy for you before the holidays. They will become familiar again. Put time back into planning and preparing your own nutritious (and delicious) meals, even though the easier thing is ordering takeout. If you drank more alcohol over the holidays, maybe it’s time for a dry spell.

2. Work with your brain, not against it.

The brain learns habits pretty slowly after repeated experiences. Taking even a small action in the exercise department will help the brain to learn and repeat.

Tip: If you feel like you’re starting over with exercise, try incremental short bursts of activity—what you can do without quitting on yourself. Simply ten minutes of exercise at a time can have positive physical and mental health benefits. Stop worrying about the “not long enough, not hard enough” stuff. Last I checked, ten minutes is better than zero.

Learn simple tips to master the “mini workout,”and check out the Burst! Workout book for ten-minute high-intensity interval training that can be done anywhere.

3. Follow the positive.

Health and happiness go hand in hand. The mind and body must be in unison to create a healthier and happier lifestyle. If there’s one thing we can’t “fake,” it’s positivity. It must be authentic. If you need a mood boost, cultivate it.

Tip: Try my “three things” challenge, and do three things that make you feel great everyday. It could be a moment of contentment like enjoying the chill in the air or the crunch of snow on the ground. Maybe it’s unwinding and reconnecting with a friend or loved one over a glass of tea before bed. Try a new recipe over the weekend that you can reheat and eat later. Or go take a nap. Often, when we’re happier, we make healthy choices. We feel better, and that makes us even more happy.

Want more? Check out my anti-diet book, Body Kindness, on sale now!