We all know the saying, and by this time of year, everyone's heard the phrase "New Year, New Me" about 1,000 times. But why does a new year have to bring a new you? Yes, of course, it brings hope of new beginnings, but suddenly everyone starts to see something about themselves that they want to change. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for new years resolutions, but in recent times, these resolutions have started to veer into dangerous territory.
By dangerous territory, I mean the idea that people need to change their body. Around this time of year, companies like Weight Watchers, NutriSystem, ClassPass and 24 Hour Fitness are capitalizing on the idea that people want to change the way they look. Listen, if you want to make a resolution to be healthier, more active and overall feel better about yourself, great! I'm all for it. However, if you, like loads of others, make the resolution to get "skinny" any way possible, you might want to reevaluate that goal.
The number one new years resolution in the country was weight loss. While this goal seems beneficial for a country where obesity is the number one cause of death, it comes with negative connotations. Body image and living a healthy lifestyle have been popular topics for a long time now, and, luckily, people are starting to realize that living healthier can benefit every part of their lives. However, when magazines, commercials and billboards are subliminally telling you that beauty lies in weighing a certain amount and looking a certain way, the resolution to lose weight can become detrimental to mental and physical health. Instead of thinking of your body as a shape or a number on a scale, think of it as a machine that needs to be well-oiled and fueled to function properly. Meaning, when people, women especially, mistreat their bodies in order to achieve their weight loss, they lose the healthy benefits of their resolutions and usually don't stick to those goals longer than a couple of weeks.
Yes, a new year means a new start for some people, but those new beginnings and changes don't necessarily need to be physical. In a world where everyone is judged by their appearance, the new year can be a time to be introspective and change the way we view ourselves and judge others. We, as a society, need to prioritize thoughts and habits that benefit our mental and physical states over those that suffocate our self confidence. Maybe a better phrase could be "New Year, new priorities."
