Why not a healthy resolution in 2021?

We did it! We finally made it to a new year, and with 2020 being such a rough year, many of us are planning a bigger, better 2021. Which is where new year resolutions come in.

If I had to guess, I would say new year resolutions having to do with weight and physical appearance are the most common resolutions people have on January 1st. I’m not pointing any fingers, either. I’m just as guilty as the rest. This year, however, if you have a resolution having to do with weight, I challenge you to set a goal that is not only attainable, but also lifelong. Instead of starting a diet on January 1st, begin a healthier lifestyle.

When you diet, you are using temporary measures to obtain a lifetime goal. This is not realistic. Dieting requires you to cut certain things from your diet, such as bread, sugar, carbs, etc. Diets are restricting and often, the foods you can eat are bland and unappealing. Once you’ve reached your goal weight, will you continue to never eat bread again? Will cheese and sweets always be forbidden? Sounds like a lifetime of misery. Yes, you will likely lose weight, but once your diet ends and you begin to enjoy so much of the foods cut from your diet, gaining the weight back is easier than the entire diet.

Another issue is that when dieting, people do not always exercise or do not exercise enough. Cutting carbs or calories alone will not help tone muscle. In fact, dieting can cause you to lose lean muscle, which is the opposite of what you want to do. Also, dieting can lead to binge-eating, consuming large amounts of food at one time, or binge-cheating, cheating on your diet more than allowed or recommended. Obviously, these two issues can not only reduce the amount of weight lost, but also cause you to gain weight instead.

Instead of changing your habits for a moment, change them for a lifetime. No, I do not mean cut out bread forever. That would be tragic; I would cry for you. Instead, let’s build better habits that amount to a healthier you now and in the future! Let’s eat healthier, exercise, focus on mental health, and promote more self-care because being healthy is more than just how much you weigh.

For the month of January, we will be posting various tips to help you achieve a healthier life that you love, as well as delicious recipes to help you along the way. We also encourage you to comment below your own tips and recipes to help others like you, who want to live a long, healthy life.

Stay tuned! ❤

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By: Better Me by Dr. B

Editor: Ariel Thompson

Medical Reviewer: Dr. Tiffany Bell D.O.