“New Year resolutions are pointless and dangerous.”

You’ll hear this common phrase around this time of year; do you agree? 

I don’t. My unpopular opinion is that they do have value, but not in the way most people think...

Maybe you’ve been down this road before: in an effort to lose weight and get “healthy”, you start to eat less, count calories, and avoid “bad” foods. Your intentions are pure and good, but you find yourself more hungry, less energetic, and somewhat obsessive about food. You tell yourself that you just need more willpower and discipline, but you feel completely out of control. Maybe you do lose some weight in the short term, but soon gain it back. Your relationship with food has become distorted; cue the mental, emotional, and spiritual fallout. Relatable?

So is it bad to want to be healthy? Is it bad to want to lose weight? Should I make New Year resolutions?

Great questions, let’s break them down.

1. Expand your understanding of health.

   It’s a good desire to be healthy (we were created for wholeness!), but health is so much more than body weight. It’s so ridiculous that our culture has equated “healthy eating” to “weight loss dieting,” especially when restrictive dieting often leads to a very unhealthy relationship with food. True health needs to involve your whole person: body, mind, and soul. Instead of obsessing about a number on a scale, reframe your understanding of health and focus on WHOLENESS.

2. Identify your true desires.

   Ask yourself: where does my desire for weight loss come from? What do I actually want? Is it increased energy, confidence, or freedom? Is it to feel loveable? Seriously, identify your core motivation for health. Tell the Lord about that. He gave your desires in the first place, so get to the heart of them with Him. Remember that your worth has nothing to do with looks, health, or accomplishments; you are already loved more than you can comprehend! All your efforts should be fueled by this truth.

3. Focus on healthy behavior changes, not body changes. 

So, should I make New Year resolutions? Yes! In fact, it’s an innate human desire to “reset” and start fresh (why we need mercy). Once you have reframed your understanding of health and identified your true motivations, you’re able to focus on healthy behavior changes that honor your body, bring you joy, and lead to wholeness. Maybe that means drinking more water, taking time to do movement you enjoy, laughing more, or carving out time to pray each morning. You’ll be surprised how this approach leads to the energy, confidence, and freedom you wanted all along!

This New Year, I encourage you to make a new kind of resolution: one that focuses on pursuing WHOLENESS. He is waiting to make you new.