New Year Resolutions
Are You Making Any This Year?
Are you a fan? Do you swear this year is going to be different?! Let me share something with you….NY Resolutions don’t work!
Every January, millions make resolutions… and by February, most have quietly given up. Not because they’re lazy or unmotivated, but because resolutions don’t actually work.
Here’s the truth:
Resolutions rely on willpower.
Behaviour change relies on systems.
And if you’re a woman in midlife, your hormones, stress levels, sleep and energy shifts make willpower even less reliable.
So instead of resolutions, let’s talk about what actually creates change.
✨ 1. Resolutions are usually unrealistic
“Lose weight.”
“Stop eating sugar.”
“Go to the gym every day.”
“Be healthier.”
They’re vague, huge, often rooted in guilt, not clarity or self‑support.
Massive, all‑or‑nothing goals almost always lead to burnout.
✨ 2. Resolutions ignore how habits are formed
Real behaviour change is built through:
Small, repeatable actions
Crafted environments
Consistency
Identity-based habits (“I’m someone who…”)
Not through a big moment of motivation on January 1st.
✨ 3. Resolutions often go against your midlife physiology
In midlife, your body changes, your energy fluctuates, your stress response shifts and your sleep becomes more fragile.
Goals set without understanding your physiology often feel impossible to maintain.
Behaviour change only sticks when it works with your body, not against it.
✨ So what DOES work?
✔ Focusing on behaviours, not outcomes
Not “lose 10 pounds.”
Instead:
Eat protein at breakfast
Walk 20 minutes most days
Add one extra serving of veg
Reduce late-night scrolling
These habits compound quietly and powerfully.
✔ Make goals small enough to succeed
A goal you do every day beats a goal you intend to do perfectly.
Consistency = intensity.
✔ Build habits around your real life
If you’re busy, tired, or working full-time, don’t design a routine that requires Olympic-level free time.
Your habits must fit you, not the other way around.
✔ Shift your identity, not your willpower
Ask: “What type of woman do I want to be this year?”
Then build tiny habits that align with that identity.
If you want to be “a woman who prioritises her health,” start with the smallest possible version, like drinking water before your morning coffee.
Identity shapes action.
✔ Celebrate progress, not perfection
Midlife is not the time for all-or-nothing thinking.
It’s the time for self-compassion, flexibility and choosing what supports your wellbeing long-term.
✨ Bottom Line
New Year’s resolutions don’t work because they rely on pressure and perfection. Real, lasting change comes from small behaviours, repeated consistently, rooted in who you want to become.
This year, skip the resolutions and choose habits that nurture you and watch how everything shifts.
Want support creating habits that last? Join my next free training HERE
You’re ready to feel more energised, confident and in control of your health, I know it! Follow me on Instagram @myprivatedietitian where I share practical advice every day to support you in midlife.
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