New Year, New You? Who?
Every January, it’s the same message.
New year. New you. Reset. Restart. Reinvent.
And honestly… who is that for?
I’ve been thinking a lot about why the new year always puts so much pressure on changing ourselves, as if who we were on December 31st suddenly isn’t enough. Maybe instead of chasing a “new” version of ourselves, we should focus on getting back on track with our health—slowly, honestly, imperfectly.
So this is Part 1 of a new blog series I’m calling Back on Track: A Real Health Reset.
Not a reboot.
Not a makeover.
Just real life.
And maybe this will help someone else.
Crap—if I’m being honest—it will probably help me.
My Not-So-New Weight Loss Story
I’ve been on a weight loss journey for most of my adult life. That alone feels wild to type out. I’ve tried many things—medications, exercise programs, structured plans, lifestyle changes. Some worked. Some didn’t. Some worked… until they didn’t anymore.
And the question I keep coming back to is this:
Why doesn’t it stick?
I don’t know the full answer yet. Maybe that’s the point.
What makes this even more ironic is that I help people lose weight all the time. I’ve watched patients lose 10, 20, 30—even 100 pounds. I’ve celebrated their wins and walked with them through setbacks. I know the science. I know the tools.
So why is it so hard for me to keep the weight off?
The Lie of Motivation
One thing I’ve learned the hard way: you cannot rely solely on motivation.
Honestly, I don’t even know why that word exists.
Motivation shows up when it feels like it and disappears the second life gets busy, stressful, exhausting, or overwhelming. And if your health depends on motivation alone, you’ll feel like you’re failing over and over again.
Maybe the issue isn’t discipline.
Maybe it isn’t knowledge.
Maybe it’s expecting motivation to carry us through seasons it was never designed to handle.
January 3rd. 9:13 AM. Real Life.
So here I am.
It’s January 3rd at 9:13 AM.
I already had a handful of Kix cereal.
Am I down about it?
No.
I’m not spiraling. I’m not starting over tomorrow. I’m not telling myself the day is ruined. I’m just acknowledging it—and moving forward.
That alone feels like progress.
What This Series Is (and Isn’t)
This series isn’t about perfection.
It isn’t about before-and-after photos.
It isn’t about pretending this is easy.
It is about getting back on track when life gets messy.
It is about health without shame.
It is about being honest—even when you know better and still struggle.
I’ll be sharing these reflections weekly, as they come. No pressure. No promises of perfection.
A Gentle Invitation
If any of this sounds familiar—
If you’ve started and stopped more times than you can count—
If you’re tired of feeling like January has to fix everything—
You’re not alone.
Stick with me as we walk this out together. And if at some point this no longer serves you, that’s okay too.
For now, I’m here.
And today?
That’s enough.
Choose you today! Reply to start your weight loss journey.
Ashley
