Losing weight in 2026: is it time to ditch New Year's resolutions?
Are New Year's resolutions doing more harm than good? Some experts say yes. Learn why and explore healthier ways to stay motivated.
If you celebrate Christmas, you might have found yourself falling into a familiar trap.
It's the festive season, so we do the usual – we eat, we drink and we make merry. Then, as the tinsel comes down and the last leftovers disappear, we step onto the scales. Yet again – we've put on weight.
At this juncture, many of us would reach for the nearest notepad and start scribbling down New Year's resolutions. Top of the list: a weight loss diet. And this time, we say to ourselves, we'll stick with it.
But is this really the best route to self-improvement? Many experts say no. In fact, they claim, New Year's resolutions might be harming our mental health.
Let's look at the reasons why – and how you can stay motivated without falling into harmful ways of thinking.
The case against New Year's resolutions
They almost always fail
According to Mental Health UK, 90% of people fail to complete their New Year's resolutions and a whopping 25% quit by week two.¹ Only around a third of people are still committed to their goals by February.²
But you probably don't need statistics to tell you that. Many of us have made New Year's resolutions in good faith, only to see them fail. According to one survey, 43% of people expect to have dropped their resolution after one month.³
That doesn't mean it stings any less when we don't succeed, though. 'Our "failure" to achieve these goals can lead us to believe we are also "failures"', writes Mental Health UK. 'This way, New Year's resolutions can have a negative impact on our self-esteem, our confidence, and our motivation to change.'¹
They're often unrealistic or vague
New Year's resolutions are often abandoned because they're overambitious or hard to pin down. Do any of these sound familiar?
'I'm going to start going to the gym 5 times a week' (is that a realistic goal if you're not already a dedicated gym-goer?)
'I'll cut out carbs completely' (extreme diet changes are often the most difficult to maintain)
'I'll improve my health' (but what does this mean, exactly?)
Overambitious resolutions typically fail because we tend to ask too much of our future selves. 'People are generally bad at ignoring their current state when making decisions about how they will feel in the future', writes one panel of experts. They add that we 'commonly underestimate the strength of the future cravings and desires that could derail [our] resolution'.⁴
Vague resolutions, meanwhile, often fail because it's hard to define what success looks like. What does it mean to 'get fit' or 'stay active'? And how will we know if we've succeeded?
In any case, the outcome is usually the same. We fail to live up to our own expectations and feel disheartened, regretful and shamed. Talking of which…
Too many resolutions are fueled by shame
Much of the chatter about resolutions is designed to shame us into change.
Take gym advertising, for instance. Every January, like clockwork, gyms offer incentives to sign up – knowing there'll be a fresh batch of resolutes ready to put their goals into action.
Self-improvement is no bad thing. But much of this advertising focuses on achieving an 'ideal' body image – not improving our overall health. It's a shame-based motivator rather than a positive one.
'Shame is not a good motivator', warns Mental Health UK, 'and anything that makes us feel bad about ourselves ultimately places us on an unsteady foundation to change.'
Resolutions are a lonely pursuit
Every year, billions of Muslims celebrate Ramadan – a month-long holy festival centred on spiritual reflection, devotion and fasting (abstaining from food and drink).
Fasting for a month isn't easy. But 93% of all Muslims worldwide say they observe the tradition.⁵ Why are so many capable of this impressive feat, yet New Year's resolutions so often go awry?
The answer, according to experts at the University of Plymouth, might have to do with the power of community.
'In Ramadan', they write, 'everyone shares some behaviour goals and, in countries with a large Muslim population, it is uncommon to come across tempting foods or people eating during the day.' They go on to point out that communal events like Dry January and Stoptober have demonstrated 'similar levels of social support'.
So, perhaps it's not so much the resolutions themselves that are the problem. It's the fact that we're facing them – and the prospect of failure – on our own.
What to do instead
Ditching New Year's resolutions doesn't have to mean giving up on your goals. Striving to improve yourself and your health, after all, is never a bad thing.
But if you're keen to lose weight in 2026, there are healthier ways to go about it. Try these tips and you might find that safe, sustainable weight loss becomes that little bit easier.
- Be realistic:
if a goal feels insurmountable today, it will probably feel just as impossible in three months. Be kind to yourself and aim for small, achievable goals that you can accomplish step by step.
- Set measurable goals:
when you set clear boundaries of success, your goals will feel more measurable and achievable. Don't say, 'I'll exercise more' – say, 'I'll exercise for 20 minutes, four days a week'.
- Stay positive:
focus on self-improvement rather than negative self-image. Remind yourself that you're losing weight to improve your health and well-being, not because other people think you should.
- Use your support network:
if you're lucky enough to have friends and relatives around you, don't be afraid to seek their support and encouragement. You could even adopt a joint resolution with a pal. That way, you can help each other stay motivated as you go.
- Don't fall into the 'failure' trap:
focus on the journey and take each roadblock as it comes. The goal is to improve your health step by step, not to punish yourself over an arbitrary game of win or lose.
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Sources
1. Mental Health UK (2024) New Year, New Me? Why New Year's resolutions can be unhelpful, and how to set healthy goals. Retrieved from https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/new-year-new-me-why-new-years-resolutions-can-be-unhelpful-and-how-to-set-healthy-goals/
2. Dickson, J.M. et al. (2021) "Self-Regulatory Goal Motivational Processes in Sustained New Year Resolution Pursuit and Mental Wellbeing" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063084
3. Sundried (n.d.) Research Shows 43% Of People Expect To Give Up Their New Year's Resolutions By February.
4. Campling, J. et al (n.d.) Are New Year's resolutions a waste of time? University of Plymouth. Retrieved from https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/pr-opinion/are-new-years-resolutions-a-waste-of-time
5. Ghani, F. (2013) Most Muslims say they fast during Ramadan. Pew Research Centre. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/07/09/global-median-of-93-of-muslims-say-they-fast-during-ramadan/
This article was reviewed and approved by Lujain Alhassan, Bariatric Dietitian, and Sarah Abdula, Specialist Dietitian, on 5 January 2026.
