Don’t Fall for the New Year’s Trap!

Ah, New Year’s—a time to celebrate the end of another year, fresh beginnings, and for the “health and wellness” industry to dupe you into thinking you should be a different person. The phrase “new year, new you” is such a simple tactic to shame you into changing because societal standards are f’d up.

Consider this your reminder that the health and wellness industry (as well as a myriad of other industries) thrives on you hating yourself. They thrive on you wishing you could be thinner, look younger, and “eat cleaner.” They thrive on tricking you into gym contracts, diets with delicious no-carb/low-calorie treats, and creams that will make your wrinkles disappear!

If only it were that easy to conform to the standards we are used to seeing in airbrushed and photoshopped magazines, in head-to-toe Spanx-wearing celebs, or eating-disordered fitness influencers. While some have genes, money, and overall circumstances that lead to their ability to maintain bodies that are deemed acceptable (without being airbrushed, wearing Spanx, or having an eating disorder), most aren’t so lucky.

What’s a person to do? The simplest of answers: strength train. On your own at home, in a gym, or with a trainer—doesn’t matter—just whatever gets you up and moving. Ok, ok, I hear you; even the best of us are still vain in some capacity. So, want to look younger? Strength train. Want to change your appearance? Strength train. Want to show up your siblings in a push-up contest? Strength train.

Strength training will boost your confidence, increase your overall strength and ability to move, improve your mental health, teach you new things, and challenge you in new ways, with the added opportunity of finding community and friends. And let’s be real: as adults, making new friends can be hard! I challenge you to consider making this year a stronger you instead of a new you because anyone asking you to be a different person doesn’t have your best interests at heart. I challenge you to challenge others about societal standards of beauty and fitness. And last but not least, I challenge you to challenge yourself about those same standards and what you believe “health” and “fitness” mean.