Issue 8: New Year’s Resolutions: A Weight-Inclusive, Sustainable Approach

How to Spot Unhealthy Nutrition Goals & Set Healthy Ones

Hello!

Welcome back to another issue of our therapist & allied professional newsletter!

This month, we’re talking about New Year’s resolutions and how to approach them in ways that support a healthy relationship with food, movement, and our bodies.

At this time of year, we’re often bombarded with messages about “getting healthier,” shrinking our bodies, or “fixing” what’s perceived to be “wrong” with us. These messages are rooted in diet culture marketing, which is designed to play on fear, discomfort, and insecurity.

Before setting a health-focused goal or resolution, it’s important to learn how to spot—and skip—diet culture messaging.

🎥 Short Watch: A Better Way to Set New Year Nutrition Goals (Without dieting or restriction)

How to Identify Diet Culture Disguised as “Health”

If a message sounds like any of the following, it’s likely diet culture masquerading as wellness:

• Creates shame or fear
“If I don’t look like that, I’ll never get what I want in life.”

• Promises quick or unrealistic results
“In only 21 days!”

• Makes food or movement feel stressful or rigid
“You can never eat ___ or you’ll be unhealthy.”

• Ignores mental health or long-term sustainability
You can’t maintain the goal while eating socially or allowing flexibility with food.

So What Does a Healthful Goal Look Like?

1. Put the goal on trial

Start by questioning your intention:

• Are you trying to be smaller because you’ve been taught that thinness should always be the goal?

• Are you aiming to feel more energized, calm, strong, or connected to your body?

• Does this goal support both your mental and physical health—or does it come at a cost?

• Does this goal work with your real life, including busy weekdays and flexible weekends?

2. Focus on the progress, not the oucome

Shift your attention to small, bite-sized actions you can practice daily or weekly.

Ask yourself:

• What flexible steps will help me move toward my goal?

Examples:

• Include protein, carbohydrates (or starches), and a colourful food at most meals

• Add vegetables where they feel doable—not forced

• Move your body in ways you genuinely enjoy

• Aim to go to bed 15–20 minutes earlier on weeknights

Remember: the goal is consistency, not perfection. These steps should feel achievable and supportive—not anxiety-provoking or obsessive.

If tracking feels helpful, try a simple checklist to notice whether you’re practicing these habits more consistently than before.

3. Stack it, don’t skip it

We encourage enhancing health by adding supportive behaviours, rather than removing things that bring joy.

This might look like:

• Adding protein to breakfast

• Trying one new vegetable per month

• Pairing movement with something enjoyable

Rather than:

• “Never eating ___ again.”

Bonus Challege: Do a Social Media Cleanse

Now that you know what to look for, consider unfollowing accounts that promote diet culture. Follow creators who emphasize body and food neutrality, joyful movement, and mental well-being.

Your feed should leave you feeling empowered—not shamed.

💬 Temperature Check

Ask yourself and your clients the questions above.

Are your goals adding value to your life, or taking away from it?

For more tips on setting health-focused goals, check out this article:  

New Years Tips to Maximize Your Wellness

Thank you for joining us for this issue of Nutrition for Mental Health. We always value your perspective. Feel free to reply with any thoughts, questions, or experiences you’d like to share

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