The buzz around the beginning of January offers an opportunity for self-evaluation, giving people a reason to reflect on their lives. Food habits and wellness are a central focus, but the ways in which people decide to create New Year’s resolutions tend to neglect where they are on their journey to becoming their better self, instead focusing solely on the results they want to see. Rethinking New Year’s resolutions could be the answer to breaking the chain of repetitiveness, of reverting back to bad habits, which many people see year after year.

According to The Psychologist magazine, ‘many cultural fresh starts are associated with abstinence from vices’. People tend to look at their routines from the year and evaluate whether they are doing themselves any favours by sticking to these habits. It is easy to feel yourself falling short of the ever-rising standards of ‘peak’ health which people demand of themselves. People often commit to bettering their relationship with food, due to their increased awareness of its benefits. This is no bad thing in itself, but can lead to unrealistic expectations in achieving what they deem to be healthy.

Many people are averse to New Year’s resolutions, due to the unnecessary pressure they put on themselves to achieve them. This can create a sense of failure when they do not maintain the sometimes heavy, and usually counter-productive, restrictions they create to keep themselves working towards their aims. Yet food remains central to the New Year’s resolutions of many; you might ask yourself why?

Food can also be used as a powerful tool for self-empowerment, and many people decide to use New Year’s resolutions as mechanisms to help themselves become a better, healthier version of themselves

Overwhelmingly, people realise the benefits that making positive, healthy changes can have to their sense of well-being. The new year brings a fresh start, and can be seen as the perfect time to put in motion the foody changes they’ve been considering. Initiatives such as ‘Veganuary’ can really help motivate people to make positive, plant-based decisions…at least for a while!

Food can also be used as a powerful tool for self-empowerment, and many people decide to use New Year’s resolutions as mechanisms to help themselves become a better, healthier version of themselves. Food is a central part of health and wellness, which is what people tend to strive towards in the fresh start which the new year can bring. It is perfectly reasonable for people to focus on their food choices, for this is something easily changed by many, and something which can have such a positive effect!

Although made with the best intentions at heart, New Year’s resolutions linked to food can often become more unhealthy than people may first realise. Their impact on mental health can outweigh the positive changes they may be trying to implement. The Christmas holidays often bring indulgent treats, but come New Year, we find that we feel guilt or lack of control. This leads to a desire to eliminate what is making us feel bad, yet this reflex reaction can bring about decisions which are not the best for our bodies or minds.

Used in the right way, food consumption, and attitudes towards food, are areas which can be improved in many people’s lives. However, lots of people struggle to stick to their foody resolutions. This could be for a multitude of reasons, but the mistake countless people make is denying themselves the things they love most about eating. For instance, if chocolate is your guilty pleasure, take away the guilt by aiming to eat it in moderation, rather than gorging yourself every time you’re allowed to indulge, because you’ve been entirely restricted beforehand. Embracing moderation helps avoid resenting your resolutions, making it easier to work towards your goals.

Resolutions tend to be about regaining control, fighting your own personal vices. Allowing yourself to gradually implement changes helps you to keep control, even in areas of your life you might see as near impossible to change. Food is a simple place to start for many, and if the aspiration is to create a better sense of wellness, this can bring the extra energy needed to complete the rest of their goals!

There is no pressure to make food central to your New Year’s resolutions, but it is always worth taking into consideration. Food can add excitement and meaning to your life, so why not set some fun, food-related intentions?