reframe your resolutions: 10 steps to a non-diet new year’s mindset

New Year, Same Me?! Honestly, I am okay with that. I love me, always room for improvement (cough cough, scrolling on IG instead of reading the mountain of books on my shelf). Approaching the new year without a diet mindset can feel liberating. As someone who has done a Whole30 or two, I can tell you how great it feels!  

The Instagram and TikTok posts for joining Whole30, 75 Hard, or other all-or-nothing programs might be showing up on your feed now (oy!). 

My advice? Scroll right by and/or update your preferences so you don’t see content like that anymore (p.s. we have a whole blog post on how to update your social media to see less diet culture content). 

If there is one thing we should leave in 2024, it's a diet mindset. Swap this for a sustainable and positive approach by setting intentions rather than rigid resolutions.

Why Intentions Work Better Than Resolutions

Resolutions often set us up for failure by demanding perfection. New Year’s resolutions fail, because we go balls to the walls, a single misstep and become disappointed in ourselves, throw in the towel, and then all of our good intentions fly out the window. 

Let’s rebrand New Year’s resolutions and the diet mindset to intentions. Why?! Because intentions, on the other hand, are flexible, allowing for growth, setbacks, and adjustments. Think of them as a plan—a framework to guide your actions in ways that align with your goals and values.

Here’s the truth: You don’t have to wait for January 1st, next Monday, or the start of a new month to make positive changes. (Thank you Maria for teaching me this fact). 

Maybe you read this blog post and think, “you know what Sarah, you’re right, I am going to do one small thing for myself tomorrow.” Whether it’s drinking more water, adding more fiber to your meals, or improving your cholesterol, you can start anytime by following this framework.

Take out a piece of paper, write it in a journal app, or in your notes app, somewhere you can see it and edit it.

10 Steps to New Year’s Intentions without a Diet Mindset 

1. Celebrate your wins

   
   

   Reflect on the actions you implemented for yourself this year that have made a positive impact. Did you start eating breakfast, drink that glass of water before coffee, learn to make heart healthy dishes, attend a new workout class you’ve been nervous to go to?! Really, anything. 

   
   

2. Read your accomplishments and give yourself a pat on the back

   
   

   We often forget to recognize the positive changes we make throughout the year. It’s so easy to focus on the negative, but this year, we are turning a new leaf! 

   
   

3. Tell a friend, family member, or pet! KUDOS to you! 

   
   

   When you tell someone your success and they cheer you on, it can motivate you to continue and also remind us of how many people are truly on our team! I am cheering for you! 

   
   

4. Choose what to carry forward

   
   

   From your list of wins, circle the habits you want to take with you into the new year.

   
   

5. Revisit what didn’t work

   
   

   Jot down the goals or habits you attempted but didn’t stick with.Consider why they didn’t work. Were they too rigid? Did they conflict with your values or lifestyle? Were they too expensive?  This exercise can help you to explore your motivations and steer you towards actions that fit your and your lifestyle. 

   
   

6. Set intentions for the coming year

   
   

   Decide and circle the items you’d like to try again next year and write your “why”

   
   

   When we know why we want to do something, it gets to our understanding of the purpose … our intention behind the intention, if you will. Understanding our motivations can make a habit a reality.

   
   

   For example, if your goal is to improve heart health, your intention might be walking for 30 minutes, three times per week because it helps lower cholesterol and reduce stress.

   
   

7. Break intentions into actionable steps

   
   

   Write out steps to work towards the intentions, or things you need to make it happen. Every goal starts with a habit and set of specific steps or tasks that can help you achieve that goal.

   
   

   Here are a few examples: 

   
   

   Goal: Drink more water to improve hydration. 

   Habit: drink water before my morning coffee

   
   

   Task: treat yourself to a new special morning water glass, fill up your special glass with water while you wait for your coffee to brew, notice your glass is empty throughout the day, and refill.

   
   

   If you plan to have a second (or more) cup of coffee, fill up your special glass again with water while you wait for these cups to brew. Setting reminders on your phone to drink water is an additional way to remind yourself to drink and stay hydrated. 

   
   

   Goal: improve cholesterol. 

   Habit: Take 3-4, 30-40 min walks weekly.

   
   

   Steps: Text a friend so you have a walking buddy, purchase a few new pairs of socks FWS (fun walking socks), or purchase a new pair of walking ONLY sneakers. Set a small goal that slowly builds each week to build up your endurance and solidify the habit; find a walking playlist so you can strut to the beat, find audiobooks that can only be listened to on these walks, and try a new walking route (even if it means doing the same path in reverse).

   
   

   Goal: Increase fiber intake to 30g/day

   Habit: plan high-fiber snacks and meals.

   
   

   Task: research high fiber foods (or check out this post here), choose 3-4 to incorporate throughout the week, keep high fiber foods stocked in the kitchen for easy access (whole grains, beans, flax, chia, lentils, apples, artichokes, berries), write a loose meal plan that incorporates these high fiber foods at most meals and snacks.

   
   

   Note: we suggest assessing your current intake to determine if you need more. This can be done by recording only the fiber intake of your meals for 1-2 days. We know tracking can be triggering for some, which is where scheduling a 1:1 appointment with a dietitian can come in handy. We can calculate your average fiber intake for you

   
   

8. Track progress without pressure

   
   

   Progress doesn’t mean perfection. Use a loose system, like jotting down how many days you completed a habit, rather than hyper-focused tracking.

   
   

9. Review this list. Share it with friends. 

   
   

   Sharing our goals and intentions make them come to life, and you can discuss these ideas with friends, family members, therapists, a group session, or your dietitian. They can offer support or suggestions and keep you accountable and motivated. 

   
   

10. Celebrate along the way.

    
    

    Don’t wait until you’ve “finished” a goal to recognize your success. Small wins, like cooking a new high-fiber recipe or sticking to a cardio plan for two weeks, are worth celebrating.

Why Leave Diet Culture in 2024?

Diets rely on all-or-nothing thinking that prioritizes short-term weight loss over long-term health. Shifting your mindset to intentions like improving sleep hygiene, creating balanced meals, or increasing exercise means focusing on habits that genuinely support your well-being. Plus, this approach encourages patience, self-compassion, and sustainability—qualities that diets often neglect.

Need Help Setting Intentions?

Our team of dietitians is here to help! Whether you’re looking to increase fiber intake, improve cholesterol, or simply establish a mindful eating practice, we offer 1:1 counseling and group support to help you reach your goals—without the diet mindset.