Why I'm Not Starting Over This January

Welcome to the Jenn Dana Health & Fitness. I’m Jenn Dana—personal trainer, nutrition and mindset coach, and someone who believes your health journey doesn’t start with another diet. It starts with a shift in how you think, how you move, and how you care for the body God gave you.

Around here, we talk about strength training, running, sustainable habits, faith, and the mindset required to build a healthy life you don’t constantly have to start over from.

If you’re tired of all-or-nothing thinking, quick fixes, and starting over every Monday, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into today’s post.

Today, we’re talking about why I’m not starting over this January—and why you don’t need to either.

Why we keep getting stuck in the “start over” cycle

Let’s talk about what causes so many of us to get trapped in the cycle of constantly restarting—especially when it comes to health and weight loss.

Here’s what it looks like:

You decide you need to lose weight. So you come up with a “plan”—and I’m using air quotes here.

The plan is usually something like:

“Starting Monday, I’m going to get up and exercise for an hour. I’m going to track my calories. I’m going to eat this manycalories. And if you’ve learned about macros, then it becomes: this many grams of protein, carbs, and fat. I’m going to work out five days a week, Monday through Friday. I’m only going to eat 1,200 calories. I’m going to lose two pounds per week. No sugar. No treats. No iced coffees. No fun. No life.”

And listen—whatever your weakness is, whatever your vice is… you know exactly what you put on your “not allowed” list.

So you write it all out. You make this detailed plan: workouts, calories, foods you’re cutting out, and exactly how you’re going to do it.

Then Monday comes. You wake up determined.

Tuesday comes, and you’re still pushing.

Wednesday? You’re barely hanging on.

By then you’re hungry, your body hurts because you went from doing nothing to working out five days a week for an hour, and you’re trying to survive on a number that is way too low for most women.

Thursday comes, and it’s a struggle.

Friday comes, and you’re like, “Screw this.”

Then your husband says, “Hey, want to get pizza tonight?”

And you’re like, “HECK yes.”

Pizza turns into overindulging. Overindulging turns into ice cream. Then Saturday becomes “Who cares?” Sunday becomes “Who cares?” And by Sunday night you’re thinking:

“Oh no. I messed up. I have to start again.”

And then you repeat the cycle over and over and over.

And the worst part? Many times you don’t just stay the same—you slowly gain weight over time. That’s what happened to me.

The real problem: all-or-nothing thinking

The damage of all-or-nothing thinking is what keeps us trapped in that cycle.

All-or-nothing thinking says:

“I’m either going to do this perfectly… or I’m going to do none of it.”

It’s perfectionism disguised as motivation.

And it sounds like:

“If I can’t do it right, I’m not going to do it at all.”

So you might eat a healthy breakfast, have a healthy lunch, even eat healthy snacks… but then dinner happens and you eat more than you think you should have.

And suddenly, your brain labels the whole day as a failure.

And then you keep repeating the cycle.

On top of that, we get stuck in the habit of calling ourselves names, which doesn’t help—it actually makes everything worse.

“I can’t believe I messed up again.”“I’m so lazy.”“I can’t stay on track for more than one day.”

When in reality… you literally just ate dinner.

We’re labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” and that’s part of the problem. Pizza isn’t a moral failure. It’s pizza.

Another part of the problem is being too restrictive. When you starve yourself, your body eventually fights back. So when you finally “allow” yourself to eat, you overeat—because you’re hungry. And then you feel guilty. And then you quit. And it becomes a whole cycle.

I tell my clients this all the time:

If you walked out to your car and one tire was flat, would you slash the other three tires just because one was flat?

No. You’d fix the tire and keep moving forward.

That’s the truth about all-or-nothing thinking.

Just because you “messed up” doesn’t mean you have to eat like crap the rest of the day. It doesn’t mean your next meal can’t be nutritious. It doesn’t mean missing a few workouts means you might as well quit until Monday.

Logically, it makes so much sense… but mentally, we play these games with ourselves.

What sustainable health actually looks like

Sustainable health looks completely different from that cycle.

It looks like choosing to move your body because it benefits you. It makes you feel better. It gives you energy. It helps you live your life.

Now—does that mean you wake up every day excited to work out?

No.

But I always say this: I don’t work out for how I feel before the workout. I work out because I know how I’ll feel after the workout.

Sustainable health looks like a reasonable plan.

A reasonable plan might be:

• Working out 3–5 days per week for 30–45 minutes

• Drinking some water (seriously—drink some water)

• Adding more fruits and vegetables

• Prioritizing protein

And honestly? You don’t even have to track calories or macros if tracking makes you obsessive or miserable.

We all know that a fruit or vegetable is going to support your health more than donuts and ice cream. You don’t need to hire someone to tell you that.

What you do need is a plan you can live with.

Because sustainable health isn’t:

• 1,200 calories a day

• Two pounds of weight loss per week

• White-knuckling your way through life

For most women, 1,200 calories is too low—and that’s why you can’t stick with it.

When my clients are losing weight, I love to see something like a quarter to half a pound per week. That’s sustainable because they’re still living their lives while they lose weight.

Sustainable health is not punishment.

It’s not, “I need to work out today because I ate too much last night.”

It’s forward-focused. It’s about your future.

It’s about being strong in your 50s, 60s, and 70s. Being able to keep up with your grandkids. Getting down on the floor to play. Going on trips. Hiking. Living your life fully.

A faith perspective: this isn’t vanity—it’s stewardship

Now let’s talk about faith for a second.

You might not be a Christian—but I am.

And I believe God gave us these bodies, and we’re called to steward them well.

We only get one body on this earth, and God didn’t give it to us so we could treat it poorly. We have purpose. We have an assignment. And it’s hard to live on mission when you’re miserable in your body—exhausted, hurting, unable to move well, and constantly stuck in shame.

This is basic stewardship:

• Eat nourishing food

• Move your body

• Drink water

• Build strength

That doesn’t mean you worship your body. It doesn’t mean you do it out of vanity.

Yes—of course it’s okay to want to feel confident. But the deeper reason is: your body is a gift, and it’s worth caring for.

So no, January doesn’t have to be a reset

Now, that doesn’t mean I’m against starting on January 1st.

Start on January 1st. Start today. Start right now.

But if you want 2026 to be the year you truly change, then you have to stop quitting when things get hard.

When you wake up and think:“I blew it yesterday.”

You have to say:“Okay. I didn’t reach my goals yesterday. Big whoop. Does that mean I can’t reach them today? No.”

So you put your shoes on. You make a plan for the day. And you ask yourself two questions:

1. How will I feel tonight if I follow through on what I said I wanted?

2. How will I feel tonight if I don’t?

Then ask: How do I want to feel at the end of the day?

Do I want to feel proud that I did my best?

Or do I want to fall asleep knowing I let my mindset talk me out of it again?

Because your life is built on the small choices you repeat.

And sometimes we act like we’re not in control—but we are.

It’s not always easy, I know that. There’s so much emotion tied to food, weight, and our past experiences. But saying “I can’t control myself” takes away your autonomy—and autonomy is one of the biggest factors in long-term success.

You are not powerless. You are not stuck. You have choices.

What’s helped me personally

I said earlier I’d share what has helped me—especially over the past year, and honestly, over the past two years.

In December 2023, I started a weight loss shot. For me, it has been life-changing. I’m a big proponent of it for people who struggle with their weight and have other underlying conditions—but I’m not a doctor, so I can’t tell you what you should do.

I can only tell you what it has done for me.

And yes, it’s a tool—but a tool doesn’t replace the work.

I have been doing the work:

• Working out consistently 4–5 days a week

• Running and improving my endurance

• Paying closer attention to protein

• Being mindful of portions

• Working on my self-worth and mindset

One of the biggest things it has taught me is how out of control my portions used to be. And now I can enjoy food without overindulging and without guilt—because I don’t label food as “good” or “bad.”

Pizza isn’t bad. Nerds Gummy Clusters aren’t bad. (And yes… they’re one of my favorites.)

But I don’t have to eat the whole bag in one sitting just to “get rid of it” so I can start over on Monday.

That’s the freedom I’m talking about.

Closing

So let me leave you with this:

My prayer is that today’s post reminded you that taking care of your body isn’t vanity—it’s stewardship. When you feel stronger, healthier, and more confident, you’re better equipped to live out your purpose.

If you enjoyed today’s blog post, share it with someone who needs encouragement.

Until next time: keep showing up, keep trusting the process, and keep living boldly.