5 Ways to Be Kind to Your Body This Month
The start of the new year can be filled with goals, trips to the gym, resolutions, healthier eating, and the mindset of needing to hustle. Today, we want to offer some alternatives to diet culture AND hustle culture by sharing 5 Ways to be Kind to Your Body This Month. Let’s dive in!
While winter officially started at the end of December, for folks in the Midwest, January starts a 3-month (at least!!) stretch of winter that brings cold weather, snow, and gray skies. The ‘New Year, New You’ mentality aims to make at least this month more ‘manageable’, it can also leave us feeling exhausted and stressed. The good news is there are ways to take care of yourself and be kind to your body in the process.
5 Ways to Be Kind to Your Body This Month
REST
This one is at the top of the list because we don’t make enough time for rest. In the past, I got caught up in the hustle of the new year - making plans, making goals, and getting stuff done. However, I felt stressed, anxious, and tired trying to keep up. Two years ago, I was talking it through with my therapist and she reminded me that the rest of nature is hibernating right now. Nature is taking time to rest, recharge, and get ready for spring. So why don’t we do that?
Tricia Hersey wrote an incredible book called Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto. She talks about how rest is not a privilege, but a right. It’s an act of resistance that pushes back against the systems of capitalism and white supremacy (remember, diet culture is also built on these systems!!). She states:
“The Rest Is Resistance framework also does not believe in the toxic idea that we are resting to recharge and rejuvenate so we can be prepared to give more output to capitalism. What we have internalized as productivity has been informed by a capitalist, ableist, patriarchal system. Our drive and obsession to always be in a state of “productivity” leads us to the path of exhaustion, guilt, and shame. We falsely believe we are not doing enough and that we must always be guiding our lives toward more labor. The distinction that must be repeated as many times as necessary is this: We are not resting to be productive. We are resting simply because it is our divine right to do so.” [1]
What would it be like for you to center REST rather than productivity in January? What would it feel like to rest because it’s your right as a human instead of resting to be able to do more in 2025? How could shifting your relationship to rest shift your relationship with yourself? With your body? With food? With your mental and physical health?
Holding off on implementing big goals and prioritizing rest in January was initially challenging, but in the last 2 years, it has become something I look forward to doing as a new year starts. I get cozy with audiobooks, physical books, puzzles, art projects, blankets, soothing music, nourishing foods, and warm beverages.
Consider giving yourself permission to add in more rest this month, even if it’s just one day of the week.
Learn more about The Importance of Sleep.
NOURISH
January tends to be the month of increased conversations around weight loss and dieting. Even if you’ve already ditched diet culture, it can still be challenging (maybe a little annoying) to be bombarded with constant rhetoric around weight loss, weight loss medications, and dieting. Just because other people are talking about it and partaking in it does not mean you have to do it as well.
Consider how you can nourish your body with food and drink this month. Maybe it’s your favorite soup and homemade bread. Or a hearty, warming casserole. Perhaps you love tea and could use this month to explore new flavors. Or inviting friends or family over to enjoy a meal or hot chocolate over a board game.
INTENTIONAL MOVEMENT
Even when we center rest, we can still embrace intentional movement. Instead of going hard at the gym, breaking a sweat every day, and feeling sore all month long, what if you moved slowly? There are plenty of 30-day yoga challenges on YouTube. Bodyweight workouts and walking are some of the most underrated forms of movement. One of my favorite things lately is to put on a few upbeat songs and dance around the kitchen. While I did win a bar trivia dance contest in 2024, my moves are nowhere close to professional level. I channel Phoebe from Friends when she went running with Rachel because the movement is just for me. It allows me to be in my body and let my body lead the movement. Plus, it feels great. Maybe this can be the start of you creating a positive relationship with movement!
Learn more about How to Create an Intuitive Movement Practice!
PHYSICAL CARE
Did you wash your face today? With something other than water? How long has it been since you put on hand lotion? Body lotion? Chapstick? Used a face mask? Taking care of your physical body is incredibly important. I’ve committed to a simple evening routine of using body lotion after a shower and pairing it with my evening skincare routine (and let me tell you that this is the first time in a few months that the skincare routine has been consistent!). Doing this used to feel like just another thing I had to do, but changing my mindset around them has been a game changer. These are things I get to do for my body and they make me feel great.
Wearing comfy clothes is another thing you can do. Whether you are a lucky one who gets to live in warm weather during the winter months or someone who must brave the cold, feeling comfortable and cozy in your body can start with what you wear. Snuggle up in that oversized sweatshirt, cozy sweater, fuzzy socks, and more.
CHANGE THE LANGUAGE
This month might be one where negative talk about yourself and your body increases, again, thanks in part to diet culture and hustle culture’s influence. Two simple things you can start to practice and get curious about are building awareness around what you are saying about your body/self AND then changing the conversation. I highly recommend testing out neutral statements or practicing body neutrality. Jumping from negative to positive statements can feel a bit challenging, but neutrality is a great stepping stone. How do you feel when you change the language?
Moving Forward
The cool thing about these 5 Ways to Be Kind to Your Body This Month: you can do all these things throughout the year, not just in January. A bonus tip is to explore the Danish philosophy of Hygge - comfort, togetherness, and well-being. I loved reading The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking as I was exploring what slowing down could look like! We know some of these tools can be challenging, so take your time, be gentle with yourself, and have fun while experimenting. If you find you need more support and assistance, feel free to reach out to the CCN team today!
Resources Used:
[1] Hersey, T. (2022). Rest is resistance: Free yourself from grind culture and reclaim your life. Hachette UK.
Collaborative Counseling & Nutrition is an outpatient nutrition and body image counseling center, with locations in Indianapolis and Carmel, that provides compassionate, holistic eating disorder treatment. Through practicing mindfulness, intuition, and Health At Every Size, we are on a mission to help you find a true state of well-being! We take an anti-diet, weight-inclusive approach with all our clients and work to help guide you towards a way of healthy living designed by you, just for you! This post is for education purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for treatment for an eating disorder. If you are looking for a registered dietitian or therapist to assist you on your recovery journey, please reach out today!
