As we move further into 2025, we may find that the New Year’s Resolutions we made in January start to lose momentum—whether that’s sticking to a new eating plan, staying alcohol-free, or pushing through packed gyms alongside both seasoned fitness enthusiasts and struggling newcomers.
Sustaining health goals isn’t just about determination; it requires addressing the underlying influences on our food choices. Emotional triggers, social expectations, and physiological challenges all play a role. Gaining insight into these factors can lay the groundwork for lasting change.
With over 15 years of experience as a nutritionist, author, and mindset coach, Daniel O’Shaughnessy
offers key insights into what shapes our eating behaviours, how dietary shifts impact us emotionally and physically, and practical strategies to navigate these changes effectively.
Identifying What Influences Your Eating Habits
Our food choices are often shaped by more than just hunger. To make sustainable changes, it’s important to examine these influences with openness and understanding.
1. Emotional Influences
Food frequently serves as a way to manage emotions. Consider the following:
- Stress Eating: Long days at work or financial worries can drive cravings for sugary or carb-heavy foods that provide momentary relief.
- Eating Out of Boredom or Loneliness: In times of isolation, food may feel like a source of comfort or a way to pass time.
- Reward Systems: Many people associate treats with celebrations or achievements. Over time, this can create a habit of using indulgent foods as a reward. Interestingly, these rewards are rarely non-food-related, such as a relaxing spa day or a break from responsibilities.
2. Adjusting Your Diet and Managing the Effects
Changing eating habits can bring up unexpected emotions. Food often serves as a coping mechanism, so when it’s altered, the following challenges may arise:
- Heightened Emotions: Without the distraction of comfort foods, suppressed feelings such as sadness or frustration may become more noticeable.
- Physical Withdrawal: Reducing sugar, caffeine, or processed foods can result in symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and irritability as the body adjusts. The common “I’ll start on Monday” mindset can worsen this by prompting overindulgence beforehand, making the transition even more challenging. Sudden calorie reductions can also disrupt hunger-regulating hormones like ghrelin and leptin, intensifying cravings.
- Loss of Routine: Eating habits are often tied to daily rituals. Altering these can create discomfort or unease, but recognising this as a normal part of the transition can help. Finding new ways to nurture yourself, such as journaling or meditation, can provide alternative coping mechanisms.
3. External Pressures and Comparisons
Cultural expectations and diet trends often promote unrealistic goals, and social media intensifies this by constantly displaying seemingly perfect bodies and rigid eating routines. Just because someone with a flexible schedule and no children can work out twice a day and train for a marathon doesn’t mean that’s practical—or even beneficial—for your own circumstances.
- All-or-Nothing Thinking: Many people abandon their diet after one misstep, believing they must be perfect. This mindset often stems from labeling foods as strictly “good” or “bad.” While some foods are healthier than others, viewing eating in extremes can lead to guilt and make it harder to maintain a balanced, long-term approach.
- Seeking External Approval: For some, dieting is driven more by societal expectations than personal well-being. This approach often leads to frustration, as lasting change is most successful when it’s rooted in self-care rather than external validation.
4. Biological and Physiological Factors
Cravings and overeating aren’t always psychological; they often have physical causes:
- Blood Sugar Instability: Consuming too many processed or sugary foods can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar, leading to increased hunger and cravings. Prioritising protein and healthy fats can help stabilise blood sugar and promote long-lasting fullness.
- Gut Health and Mental Clarity: An imbalanced gut microbiome can impact mood and decision-making, making mindful eating more difficult. Including fibre-rich foods and probiotics can support both digestion and mental well-being.
- Hormonal Imbalances: Elevated stress hormones like cortisol can increase cravings for high-calorie foods, while poor sleep disrupts hunger-regulating hormones, leading to increased appetite.
- The Impact of Trauma: Unresolved emotional trauma can shape eating behaviours, making food a coping tool for stress or emotional pain. Addressing these deeper issues through therapy or mindfulness practices can create a healthier relationship with food.
Practical Strategies to Overcome Challenges
To extend healthy habits beyond January, it’s essential to acknowledge underlying drivers while adopting practical techniques to stay on track.
1. Develop Awareness
- Pause Before Eating: Ask yourself if you’re truly hungry or if another need is at play.
- Track Patterns: Keeping a journal can reveal connections between emotions and eating habits, fostering self-awareness rather than control.
2. Stabilise Blood Sugar Levels
- Eat Balanced Meals: Pair protein, fibre, and healthy fats to maintain energy and curb cravings.
- Avoid Extreme Restrictions: Drastic calorie or food group reductions can backfire, leading to increased cravings and eventual overconsumption.
3. Support Your Body During Adjustments
- Stay Hydrated, Prioritise Sleep, and Move Gently: These habits help your body cope with dietary changes.
- Manage Withdrawal Symptoms: If reducing sugar or caffeine, ease into it gradually and plan for potential discomfort.
- Focus on Progress, Not Perfection: Small, consistent steps create long-term success.
4. Create Meaningful Rituals
- Find Alternative Comforts: Swap dessert for herbal tea and a journaling session.
- Reduce Stress Without Food: Try yoga, stretching, or a warm bath to unwind.
- Limit Late-Night Screen Time: Leaving your phone in another room can prevent endless scrolling and improve sleep quality.
5. Address Emotional Triggers
- Seek Support: Talking to a trusted friend, coach, or therapist can help navigate emotional ties to food.
- Practice Mindfulness: Simple grounding exercises, like deep breathing and visualising stability, can help manage emotional stress.
6. Reduce Societal and Peer Pressure
- Clarify Your Personal Goals: Keep a journal or vision board with reminders of why you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Filter Your Social Media: Unfollow accounts that promote unrealistic standards and replace them with inspiring, positive content.
- Take Breaks from Technology: Regular time away from screens can reduce mental overload and improve focus.
7. View Setbacks as Learning Experiences
When setbacks occur (which they will), how you respond matters:
- Analyse What Happened: Was it emotional stress, hunger, or external pressure? Identifying triggers can guide future choices.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Speak to yourself kindly—one misstep doesn’t erase progress.
- Refocus Without Punishment: Make your next meal nourishing rather than restricting yourself in response.
Maintaining a health-focused lifestyle beyond January is about more than sheer willpower. It involves cultivating self-awareness, resilience, and self-compassion. Shifting the mindset from restriction to nourishment can make setbacks an opportunity for growth, helping you build a lasting, positive relationship with food and yourself.