Author: Ryleigh Scott (Dietetic Intern)
Ahhh, New Year’s resolutions. We all start the year with big dreams of eating cleaner, losing those extra pounds, or finally giving up sugar for good. But, honestly, how many of us are still sticking to those resolutions come February?
In 2024, a lot of people set out to make drastic changes to their eating habits, hoping to see quick results. But here’s the thing: most of those resolutions weren’t built to last. The problem? They were often too extreme, too restrictive, or just didn’t fit into real life.
So, why do these well-intentioned goals so often fall short? In this blog, we’ll take a look back at some of the most popular diet resolutions from 2024 and explore why they weren’t sustainable.
St. Louis Area Dietitian Nutritionist Tips on Setting Realistic, Achievable Nutrition Goals
Cutting Out Sugar
Every year, one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is cutting out sugar. Too much refined sugar can contribute to weight gain, energy crashes, and long-term health issues like diabetes, making a sugar-free lifestyle seem like a simple solution.
Problems arise when people try to eliminate all sugar, including natural sugars found in fruits, dairy, and vegetables. While reducing added sugars can improve health, complete restriction often leads to cravings, emotional eating, and bingeing—making the approach unsustainable.
RDN Tips to Reduce Sugar in Your Diet:
Going Keto
Another popular New Year’s resolution that often makes its way to the top of the list is going keto—cutting carbs to an extreme and loading up on fats and protein in the hopes of rapid weight loss. And while the Keto diet does lead to quick results in the beginning, it’s one of the hardest resolutions to maintain in the long term.
At first, many people experience rapid weight loss, usually due to a significant drop in water weight and a reduction in calorie intake. However, once the novelty wears off, people struggle with the extreme limitations of the diet. Cravings for bread, pasta, or even a simple fruit snack can feel overwhelming, leading to feelings of deprivation. Plus, cutting carbs completely can sap your energy, leaving you feeling sluggish and irritable.
No-Diet Dietitian Tips to ‘Go Keto’:
No Snacking After 6 PM
The rule of “no eating after 6:00 PM” – it just doesn’t scream sustainable, does it? While the intention behind this goal might be to avoid late-night snacking or over-eating before bed, this strict rule often fails because it doesn’t consider individual schedules or hunger cues. People’s hunger levels don’t follow a set clock, and for many, eating after 6 PM might be necessary due to work hours, workouts, or simply personal preference.
Ignoring those hunger signals can lead to overeating later or a drop in energy, making it harder to stick with healthy habits long term. This rule also goes against the concept of mindful eating, where the goal is to listen to your body’s signals and eat when you’re hungry, rather than imposing arbitrary restrictions.
Nutritionist Tips to Manage Cravings and Late-Night Snacking:
Eating Only “Clean Foods”
“This year, I am only going to eat clean foods.” The concept suggests that focusing on minimally processed and nutrient-dense foods is the key to a healthier lifestyle. However, many people take “clean eating” to an extreme, turning it into an all-or-nothing approach. Any indulgence or processed food is viewed as a “failure,” which creates a black-and-white mindset.
The problem with this strict definition of “clean” eating is that life doesn’t always fit into these neat categories. Social events, dining out, or simply craving a favorite treat aren’t “clean eating” moments, and labeling foods as either “good” or “bad” only sets us up for feelings of guilt or stress. Food should fuel and nourish our bodies, not create an ongoing sense of shame or restriction.
This rigid approach also contradicts the principles of mindful eating, where we listen to our bodies and eat foods that truly satisfy us, rather than focusing on what’s “allowed” or “not allowed.” When we label foods as “clean” or “unclean,” we lose sight of the fact that all foods have a place in our diets—some more often than others.
Dietitian Tips to Clean-er Eating:
Drinking More Water
This is a great goal to have. But often, the goal is framed too rigidly—like the rule of “only drinking water and nothing else”, which can be tough to maintain long term. While water is undoubtedly essential for hydration, completely cutting out other beverages, like tea, coffee, or even smoothies, can make you feel deprived or restricted. It’s easy to get bored of drinking only water, and before you know it, you’re reaching for sugary sodas, energy drinks, or another caffeinated pick-me-up.
Dietitian Tips to Increase Water Intake:
New Year’s resolutions are a great opportunity to start fresh, but the key to success is setting realistic and sustainable goals. Whether it’s ditching extreme diets or finding a healthier relationship with food, the focus should always be on balance, enjoyment, and listening to your body’s needs. So, here’s your challenge for 2025: Let go of the “all-or-nothing” mindset and embrace moderation, flexibility, and fun!
At Branz Nutrition Counseling, we help clients set realistic, sustainable nutrition goals that support long-term health and a positive relationship with food.
