Let’s bust a myth that shows up loudly every January:

Myth: After indulging in the treats and eats and slower moments that often come with the holiday season, your body needs a ‘reset’

Deep breath. That’s just… not true.

Our culture loves a dramatic “fresh start” moment. Confetti, countdowns, shiny planners, and a long list of things you’re supposed to “fix” about yourself. For folks with a complicated relationship with food or their bodies, this message can feel especially heavy — like there’s one narrow window to “get it right,” and if you don’t, you’ve somehow failed.

But here’s the reality: change does not run on a calendar, and our bodies are fully capable of handling a week outside of our normal routine without needing an intervention.

Your body doesn’t know it’s January 1st. Hunger cues don’t reset at midnight. Healing, growth, and habit shifts don’t magically unlock because the year changed. And most importantly, our bodies/brains don’t comprehend the compensatory action that is all of sudden created as a result. Eating less because you’ve ‘overindulged’ a week ago does not compute for your body…in reality, your body sees it as a threat that it’s not receiving what it actually needs.

Meaningful change isn’t about grand gestures, transformations or “starting over.” It’s about meeting yourself where you are, again and again. Working on your relationship to food or your body takes time. If you’ve ever thought, “Well, I already messed up, so what’s the point now?”...trust me, you’re not alone. That all-or-nothing thinking is something diet culture thrives on. But you don’t need a new year to:

listen to your body a little more
loosen a food rule
choose rest
ask for support (hey, maybe even start seeing a professional like a KJN Dietitian!)
decide you’re worthy of care as you are

You’re allowed to begin again — or keep going — on any day. No fireworks required.

So if January 1st came and went and you’re feeling stuck, behind, or discouraged, let this be your reminder: there is no expiration date on change. You haven’t failed. You haven’t missed your chance. And you don’t need a “clean slate” to deserve care.

Today counts. Tomorrow counts. And so do you — exactly as you are.