Every January, everyone is starting another diet. It’s in your inbox, on your social feed, and even in casual conversations. The pressure to change your body is loud this time of year. But what if you didn’t need to change everything about yourself to feel better?
Hi there, I’m so glad you found your way here. I’m Dr. Meredith MacKenzie, a binge eating therapist and intuitive eating coach. If you’re feeling the pressure to start another diet this January or feeling unsure about not starting one, you’re not alone. This season can bring up a lot. I’m here to help you stay rooted in care, not control. For more real talk and support as you heal your relationship with food, come join me on Instagram.
The Pressure of “New Year, New You”
The idea of a “new you” can feel tempting. It promises a fresh start. A better version of yourself. It sounds hopeful. But it also says the current you is not good enough.
This pressure often comes with strict food rules, weight-loss plans, and a fear of being left behind. If you’ve spent years trying to fix your body, the idea of starting another diet might feel familiar. It can even feel safe, like something you can control.
But under the surface, many of us feel dread. Because we know how this usually ends. The excitement fades. Hunger and stress grow. And soon, we’re right back in the same cycle.
Why Diets Feel So Tempting in January
Diets promise quick results. When life feels messy or uncertain, like after a holiday season full of food and family, they offer structure. A plan. Rules to follow. That can feel comforting, especially if you’ve just spent days navigating loaded comments or quiet moments of shame.
January often stirs up guilt.There’s guilt about what you ate. Maybe guilt for resting. Or for feeling like you “fell off track.” And when those feelings are mixed with memories of family judgments or internalized messages from childhood, it can feel like starting another diet is the only way to cope.
But guilt isn’t a reason to punish your body. It’s a sign that something deeper is asking for care. Sometimes what we really need isn’t another plan, it’s permission to feel, to protect our peace, and to meet ourselves with compassion.
If you’re navigating diet talk or family triggers this season, this episode will help. It’s full of real-life strategies and gentle reminders to help you feel more grounded.
The Cost of Starting Another Diet (That No One Talks About)
Starting another diet costs more than money or time. It costs you energy, focus, and peace of mind. It pulls you away from your body’s wisdom.
Diets teach you to ignore hunger. To eat by rules instead of trust. They can lead to more binges, more shame, and more confusion around food.
Even when they feel exciting at first, most diets end the same way. With guilt. With frustration. With that sinking feeling that you “failed” again. But you didn’t fail. The diet did.
If you’ve been starting another diet every January and still feel stuck, it’s not your fault. This blog breaks down the toxic diet culture lies that keep you chasing change instead of finding peace.
If Not Starting Another Diet, Then What? Refocusing on What Actually Heals
If you’re not starting another diet, you might wonder what to do instead. The answer? Focus on care, not control. Your body doesn’t need fixing. It needs kindness.
What heals is connection, listening to your body, and responding with love. You can:
- Notice when you’re hungry or full.
- Choose foods that feel good to you.
- Rest when you’re tired.
- Move in ways that feel joyful.
These steps build trust. They bring calm. And they help you feel more at home in your body.
If the urge to start another diet comes from feeling “out of control” with food, this is for you. Learn why what feels like addiction is often something deeper, and how healing starts with understanding, not restriction.
Gentle Intentions to Carry Into the New Year
Instead of weight-loss goals, what about intentions that nourish your whole self, mind, body, and heart?
Try:
- “I will pause and check in before meals.”
- “I will speak to myself with care, even on hard days.”
- “I will allow rest, without guilt.”
- “I will remind myself that I do not have to earn food.”
These kinds of intentions support healing. They don’t shame you or demand perfection. They meet you where you are and invite you to keep showing up with compassion.
If saying no to another diet has made food feel louder or more confusing, you’re not alone. Read this next to learn what food noise really is, and how to quiet it without more rules.
How to Cope When Everyone Around You Is Starting Another Diet
It’s not easy to step away from dieting when others around you are starting another diet. You might feel left out or unsure.
Here are a few ways to stay grounded:
- Mute or unfollow diet content on social media
- Talk to a trusted friend or therapist (hi, that’s me) who gets it.
- Journal about why dieting hasn’t worked for you.
- Return to your values, peace, care, and freedom.
You are allowed to choose another path. Wanting a different kind of peace is a valid and powerful choice. Others have made this choice too, and it’s okay if it feels hard or new.
Starting on Monday and starting in January often come from the same mindset, the belief that a fresh start will finally fix everything. If that cycle feels familiar, this video will help you understand what’s really keeping you stuck and how to move forward with more compassion.
What to Remember Before Starting Another Diet
You don’t have to start another diet to have a meaningful year. You don’t need a “new you” to feel good about your life. What if this year you stayed with yourself? What if you gave yourself care instead of control? What if you chose healing, not hustle? You are still you. And that is more than enough.
If you’re feeling the pull to start another diet this New Year, but also sensing that it hasn’t brought lasting peace in the past, that awareness matters. There’s another way forward, one that doesn’t rely on rules or restriction.
Food Freedom in a Weekend is a gentle first step. It’s designed to help you shift away from all-or-nothing thinking and begin reconnecting with your body, one small, doable choice at a time.
If you’re ready for deeper support, One Body To Love, my group coaching program, offers a safe space to explore what’s driving your eating patterns. Together, we’ll unpack the pressure to control your body, learn to respond with care, and build a more peaceful relationship with food.
Prefer more personalized guidance? In 1:1 coaching, we go at your pace. You’ll get support that’s tailored to your life, your body, and your healing.
Not sure where to begin? My podcast and YouTube channel are full of honest conversations and tools to help you stay grounded when diet culture gets loud. Or you can book a free discovery call, and we’ll figure out your next step together.
