“New year, new you” is a phrase you’ll hear, see, and breathe many times before the dust settles on Christmas. Come January, people are bombarded with pressures to get better, and the diet industry perpetuates the most tenacious and potentially damaging message: that everyone “needs to lose weight.”
If you’re sick of trying to avoid New Year’s diet culture, you’re not alone. This year, focus on celebrating and getting stronger, not on dieting. If you want to set some positive self-improvement or fitness goals that aren’t weight-focused, these apps can help you set healthy resolutions.
The Problem with the “New Year, New You” Diet Message
As Christmas approaches, the diet and wellness industry hits with a deluge of marketing campaigns that capitalize on insecurities and sell unrealistic and unsustainable weight loss plans. Gyms lure people in with slashed membership offers in January, “detox” products are inescapable and the latest ads for weight-loss diets featuring digitally manipulated bodies dominate social media. To say that you are under pressure is an understatement.
As for New Year’s resolutions, “losing weight” was the most sought-after goal in the world in January 2022, according to club industry. As persistent as this social mindset is, it can be harmful to think that everyone needs to lose weight. Health at Every Size (HAES) doctors, including NHS physician Dr Joshua Wolrichreminds people that how much you weigh doesn’t just determine how healthy you are, and “trying to manipulate [your weight] it is not risk-free or guaranteed to improve your health.”
This January, don’t be pressured to diet. If you want to set some self-improvement goals, you can do so by avoiding New Year’s diet culture. Try creating a safe space on your phone with these self-improvement apps that don’t focus on diet.
1. Practice daily affirmations with ThinkUp
January can be a difficult month as you return from the busy holiday period and head back to school and work. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or discouraged during this time, then using a daily affirmation app like ThinkUp might help. According to research in Cognitive and Affective Social NeuroscienceUsing self-affirmations can maintain a positive view of yourself and restore self-competence in the face of threats (ie, when trying to avoid the pressures of New Year’s diet culture).
ThinkUp encourages users to develop a positive mindset by practicing daily affirmations. You can tie your New Year’s self-improvement goals together by choosing which area of your life you’d like to improve, from relieving stress to boosting your self-esteem. It’s a great tool to help you boost your confidence, change your thought patterns, and reduce anxiety.
Discharge: ThinkUp-Daily Affirmations for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
2. Take care of your mental health with my possible self
My Possible Self is the self-improvement tool you need if your New Year’s goal is to take care of your mental health. My Possible Self is designed to help improve your mental health through a series of interactive tools and features. clinically certified by priority medical careYou’ll find a digital version of familiar Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques that you can take advantage of to improve your mental well-being.
If you’re not sure where to start, the lifestyle quiz will help you identify areas of your life that you need to pay attention to. You can then follow one (or all) of the nine guided series in the app, from managing stress to improving sleep. You can also use My Possible Self to reduce your alcohol consumption or to start practicing yoga. All improvements are based on making small behavior changes, making it a self-improvement app accessible to everyone.
Discharge: My possible self for Android | iOS (Free)
3. Enjoy exercising in a body-neutral safe space with Big Fit Girl
If you want to avoid the New Years diet culture but still enjoy working out, then Big Fit Girl is the workout app for you. Created by the author and Instagram influencer Louise GreenBig Fit Girl is a fitness app designed for all ages, sizes, and skill levels.
Starting with a free seven-day trial, you’ll gain access to a wide variety of exercise videos based on different fitness levels, ranges, and abilities. Choose from daily fitness challenges that include size or cardio exercises like boxing or strength training. You can also choose your workouts based on the equipment you have, such as chairs, free weights, or fitness bands.
you can access Big Fit Girl Content also in a browser, if you prefer to follow the training videos on a larger screen.
Discharge: big fit girl for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
4. Heal your relationship with food using the recovery log
Trying to avoid New Year’s diet culture can be especially tricky for anyone with a complicated relationship with food. If you are trying to navigate during January and have problems with food or eating, then the Recovery Record app could help you.
Created by a team of psychologists and engineers, Recovery Record can help you recover from disordered eating behaviors. It can be used privately or with a healthcare professional if you are under a managed recovery program.
Built on a foundation of CBT and monitoring techniques, you can use Recovery Record to create a personalized healing journey. of the reading Reasons to recover and learn new coping skills to create a collection of affirmations and record skills and weekly goals, this is a solid app to help you heal your relationship with food and eating.
If you or a loved one needs professional help recovering from an eating disorder, contact SANAR project. This leading non-profit organization aims to ensure that everyone in the United States has equal access to eating disorder treatment.
Discharge: recovery log Android | iOS (Free)
5. Create your own New Year’s resolutions with Habit Tracker
If you’re interested in setting your own New Year’s resolutions, using a tracker app can help you reach your goals. Habit Tracker is one of many customizable apps that allow you to start and track achievable healthy habits. In Habit Tracker, you can choose from a preset list of habits or add your own ideas, which is a great way to start your New Year’s resolutions.
Healthy New Year’s resolutions that don’t focus on weight loss could include:
- Improving your sleep.
- Begin a meditation or yoga routine to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Try a new hobby or learn something new.
- Read more books.
- Learning to cook healthy and nutritious meals.
You can take your New Year’s resolutions one step further by combining a goals app and a to-do app to achieve your goals.
Discharge: habit tracker for iOS (Free in-app purchase available)
Remember: You don’t have to set New Year’s goals if you don’t want to.
It can be incredibly difficult not to get carried away by the general mindset that you should lose weight after Christmas, or that you should have New Year’s resolutions in January. Self-improvement can be a good thing when done the right way, but if you’re feeling pressured to make changes, this may not be a healthy option for you.
The apps above can help you improve your mental well-being or overall health at any time of the year, but only if you feel ready to use them. The most important thing is to take care of your well-being, and whether or not to take New Year’s resolutions is your personal choice.