What to Do Instead of Health Challenges

Use these tips to build a healthier relationship with food this year.

It’s January and like clockwork, wellness challenges are popping up left and right online. The whole “new year, new you” has become so predictable and exhausting, especially after living through the stress of a pandemic. The last thing on my mind is doing squats for 30 days or drinking a smoothie five days a week. These challenges are usually tied to aesthetic or weight goals (i.e. get a six-pack, lose 20 pounds by the summer) and it almost seems like you’re wrong for not having New Year’s resolutions that center on dieting. But what happens when the challenge is over? In my experience, those challenges usually don’t result in consistent habits that are sustained over time because they’re not addressing your basic health needs, like whether you’re eating enough or eating a variety of food groups.

As a registered dietitian, I’ve been practicing an intuitive eating approach with clients who want to work on their relationship with food and health. I’ve seen the negative impacts of dieting, restriction and intentional weight loss. And whether you’re completely cutting out food groups or you have more subtle rules around food and exercise, the restriction mentality can get in the way of helping you develop an enjoyable and pleasurable relationship with food. Also, lifestyle changes that you do consistently, independent of weight loss, are a much better predictor of overall good health.

If you’re interested in practicing healthier habits, here are some things that beat doing a challenge.

Head on over to FOOD NETWORK to read the full article! What to Do Instead of Health Challenges