NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: Setting yourself up for success

Let’s be honest—January can be a tough month. It’s cold, often wet, and finances can feel stretched after the festive season. Adding an unrealistic goal, whether related to nutrition or not, can make this time even more challenging. By the end of January, many people find themselves feeling discouraged after struggling to meet targets that were never sustainable in the first place.

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is weight loss, and it’s one I want to address. Following a strict diet or aiming to lose large amounts of weight each week may seem motivating at first, but it often sets you up for difficulties later on.

Weight loss is not as simple as “calories in versus calories out.” In the early weeks of cutting calories, the number on the scale may drop and you may feel encouraged—but it’s important to consider what you’re actually losing. Many people drastically reduce calories and, in doing so, miss out on essential nutrients that support overall health. When the body is pushed away from its natural, healthy weight, it may begin to retain fat while losing muscle and, in extreme cases, even bone density.

When the body senses starvation, it adapts by lowering its basal metabolic rate. This is why weight loss often plateaus after a few weeks, leading people to cut calories further and sacrifice even more nutrients to continue seeing results. Unsurprisingly, this becomes harder to maintain, and many people eventually fall back into old habits. The most frustrating part is that weight is often regained—and sometimes more than before—because the body has reduced its energy output in an attempt to protect itself.

Instead, set small, realistic goals. A weight loss of around 0.5 kg per week is more than enough. My aim is to help you make changes that are sustainable—changes that include food you enjoy, while also nourishing your body properly. Don’t be tempted by the latest diet trend, and take a moment to consider whether weight loss is truly the right goal for you.

In the long run, building a stronger body and a healthier mindset may be far more valuable—and I’m here to support you with that too.