Get ready for a fun & candid New Year's episode! It’s officially 2022, and Naomi is still rebelling against structure & rigidity, and Sadie is still loving a schedule and a well-established plan. Even though we both function from two pretty opposite operational styles, we both agree that setting any kind of New Year’s resolution, intention, or goal should be something you WANT to do, not something you feel like you HAVE to do because it’s January. There’s nothing magical about January 1st. We’re chatting about all things New Year's: setting realistic resolutions, dry January, a few fun rants about Noom, sugar fasts, detoxes, & WW…and more!
You can stay up to date on all things Satisfaction Factor by following us on IG @satisfactionfactorpod!
And be sure to check out Shame Free Fitness, Sadie's new training program for fitness professionals who strive to be the change within an industry that is centered around diet culture. Enrollment will reopen in early 2022, but you can click here to get on the waitlist now!
Here's where to find us:
Sadie Simpson: www.sadiesimpson.com or IG @thesadiesimpson
Naomi Katz: www.happyshapes.co or IG @happyshapesnaomi
For this episode's transcript, visit: www.satisfactionfactorpod.com
This episode references:
Maintenance Phase Podcast - Weight Watchers
Maintenance Phase Podcast - The Keto Diet
Want to connect with us to deepen the conversation? Join us in our online community, The Satisfaction Space!
Want to show the world that you love the pod? Get t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, totebags & more at Teepublic!
You can stay up to date on all things Satisfaction Factor by following us on IG @satisfactionfactorpod!
Here's where to find us:
Sadie Simpson: www.sadiesimpson.com or IG @sadiemsimpson
Naomi Katz: www.happyshapes.co or IG @happyshapesnaomi
Get ready for a fun & candid New Year's episode! It’s officially 2022, and Naomi is still rebelling against structure & rigidity, and Sadie is still loving a schedule and a well-established plan. Even though we both function from two pretty opposite operational styles, we both agree that setting any kind of New Year’s resolution, intention, or goal should be something you WANT to do, not something you feel like you HAVE to do because it’s January. There’s nothing magical about January 1st. We’re chatting about all things New Year's: setting realistic resolutions, dry January, a few fun rants about Noom, sugar fasts, detoxes, & WW…and more!
You can stay up to date on all things Satisfaction Factor by following us on IG @satisfactionfactorpod!
And be sure to check out Shame Free Fitness, Sadie's new training program for fitness professionals who strive to be the change within an industry that is centered around diet culture. Enrollment will reopen in early 2022, but you can click here to get on the waitlist now!
Here's where to find us:
Sadie Simpson: www.sadiesimpson.com or IG @thesadiesimpson
Naomi Katz: www.happyshapes.co or IG @happyshapesnaomi
For this episode's transcript, visit: www.satisfactionfactorpod.com
This episode references:
Maintenance Phase Podcast - Weight Watchers
Maintenance Phase Podcast - The Keto Diet
Want to connect with us to deepen the conversation? Join us in our online community, The Satisfaction Space!
Want to show the world that you love the pod? Get t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, totebags & more at Teepublic!
You can stay up to date on all things Satisfaction Factor by following us on IG @satisfactionfactorpod!
Here's where to find us:
Sadie Simpson: www.sadiesimpson.com or IG @sadiemsimpson
Naomi Katz: www.happyshapes.co or IG @happyshapesnaomi
Welcome to Satisfaction Factor, the Podcast where we explore how ditching diet culture makes our whole lives more satisfying. Happy New Year, and welcome back to Satisfaction Factor. I'm Naomi Katz, an Intuitive Eating, body image, and self trust coach providing anti diet support to free thinking grownups who want to reclaim their autonomy and consent from diet culture.
Sadie Simpson:I'm Sadie Simpson, an anti diet group fitness instructor and Intuitive Eating counselor, and I help other fitness professionals disengage from diet culture, so they can improve program enrollment, engagement, impact, and retention without shame and manipulation. Welcome to our first episode of 2022. New year, same us. Here we are again on this week's episode. And this is our first ever New Year's episode, so hopefully the first of many. And the last series of episodes have been pretty heavy in educational based content. We went through the whole entire Intuitive Eating framework. So if you haven't had a chance to listen to that series- especially as we're getting into the new year, and you're curious about exploring Intuitive Eating as a concept, or something you might want to begin incorporating more into your life- go check those episodes out. But we are moving on to new things in 2022. And this episode, and all of our future episodes will still be educational- they will still provide information that you can apply in your life- but we're also excited about having more just candid conversations about all of the bullshit diet culture stuff that creeps up this time of year, and really all times throughout the year. And-
Naomi Katz:The four seasons of diet culture.
Sadie Simpson:Yes. The four seasons of diet culture, this being the biggest season of it. But yeah, I'm just excited to kind of get into some more nuanced topics and conversations.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, I'm really excited about having this conversation too. Because this time of year is rough. Like it's just- it's so so toxic and so bad. We get all of these messages about like getting back on the wagon, and like starting fresh. And my favorite thing, of course, is like the new year, new you nonsense. Yeah, I'm just- I'm so psyched that we have the opportunity to offer a different perspective here.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:You know, those messages are definitely- like, they're gross, they're toxic, we say all that- but like, if we're really going to get to the point of it, like they're really meant to manipulate us. They're meant to, like, shame us and make us feel guilty. And they're very based in privilege. We've talked so much before about like, not everybody has access to the kinds of things that, you know, all this new years wellness and diet marketing is telling us that, like, we're obliged to do. And I think we can kind of all agree that like shame, guilt, privilege, manipulation, all that stuff- maybe not the vibes we're trying to bring into 2022.
Sadie Simpson:No, not at all. We've had enough of that crap throughout our lives, but especially the last couple of years. And I feel like this is a great opportunity to enter a new year with a new approach and a new perspective when it comes to things like eating, and exercise, and self care, and wellness, and that sort of thing. And I feel pretty positive that this episode, and even future episodes, can kind of offer a new perspective on just all the stuff going into the new year.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, definitely. I guess let's start with like the big thing, right? Like the elephant in the room. How do you feel about setting goals or like resolutions for the new year?
Sadie Simpson:I'm a little bit on the fence about it, to be honest. I know that New Year's resolutions are often just steeped in this, like, just go hard, go home, like you have to get back on the wagon, you've got to follow this strict diet plan. And I don't have a list in front of me, but if you Google top New Year's resolutions, the top ones that people make are always founded in weight loss, or dieting, or exercise, or something like that. Like those are always the top five resolutions. And although like I'm completely against that, I do personally like the idea of an opportunity to sort of refocus on an area that might need a little bit of work, or a little bit of attention, or something like that. How do you feel about New Year's resolutions?
Naomi Katz:So this is really interesting. My thoughts on New Year's resolutions have evolved over the years. I used to be like a hard no on New Year's resolutions because I personally hate New Year's resolutions. But over the years, I've sort of been able to see other perspectives. And so I feel like my general feeling about New Year's resolutions at this point is that they're not an obligation, there's nothing magical about January, and that, you know, a lot of us might not be feeling up for taking on anything new in January. You know, you've got like, seasonal things that affect our energy, there's just like the emotional draining of the holiday season, there's a little pandemic going on.
Sadie Simpson:Just a small one.
Naomi Katz:Just a small one. And so like, it's totally reasonable to not want to add anything to your plate right now. And I have come to realize over the years that some people
Sadie Simpson:That is me. Like that is so me. get a little bit of a burst of energy in the new year. And maybe they are just coming back from vacation, and so like they feel a little more rested and energized, and this is a good time for them. Maybe they thrive on things like organization, and
Naomi Katz:I know. That's totally what I was sort of schedules, and they love a good day planner. building up to. Like, I- you and I know this because we have a podcast together- like I am not the world's best planner. I don't love structure. But you are amazing at like systems, and planning, and all of that stuff. And so like it makes sense that I'm like, no, and you're like, ues, about setting New Year's I love that. I love kind of like the parallel of- goals.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. Well, I like that you said your take on New Year's resolutions has evolved over time. And I think you know, last week, we talked a lot about how sometimes to heal that's true for me to an extent too. Because back in the day, I was very much a New Year's resolution, start a new diet, get back to the gym type person. And as I started to disengage from diet culture, I did like the complete opposite. I was very anti resolution, New Year's resolutions are dumb. But that was a part of kind of my healing process, I think, of just kind of getting completely away from resolutions as a concept, to where now I do just, again, like I said, kind of like the idea of a- of a refresh. And uh, you know, let's- let's organize some calendars, and let's clean out our closets, and let's just kind of get things a little settled while things are calm, in preparation for the new year when things just start to get busier again. your relationship with movement and exercise, you have to take a break from movement and exercise entirely- and I love how like that same kind of process shows up here for you around like structure, and goal setting, and stuff like that. But like you had to go through this, like no goals, no structure period in order to get to a place where you could apply goals and structure without it being a toxic experience. Yes. Yeah, I think that is a really valuable practice for people to recognize that that's even an option. Like it doesn't have to be, yet again, this black or white, all or nothing type of thing, even with setting goals and with setting resolutions. And honestly, like, again, with everything that we talked about on pretty much every episode, finding ways to do it in a way that feels realistic and relevant for us as individuals can be kind of helpful. And again, like as much as I love like organization, and scheduling, and planning, and systems, and that type of thing, I like those things with the option of having flexibility, without it being like super rigid- like being able to use these systems, and structures, and schedules in a way that allows for options and opportunities just to kind of shift gears mid course if need be.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, totally. And I also think it's like- it's a skill to get to the point where you can also see that what works for you isn't necessarily the prescriptive answer for other people- to like- to be able to see that like we all, as individuals, respond to and need different things.
Sadie Simpson:Right.
Naomi Katz:So I laugh because I have always bucked against- like structure and planning- like literally since I was a child- like this- it is just not something that I'm good with. So I think in like- probably like our first episode- I talked about how I'm a four tendencies questioner, and it's so funny how I can see that showing up in like how I respond to like outside demands and stuff. Where like, the whole thing about a questioner is that like, they'll only prioritize an outside demand if it seems like it makes sense to them. Arbitrary outside demands are like a hard no. And I can totally see how I feel that way about especially things like New Year's resolutions, like, where I can't find like a good internal motivator, or like a good internal reason to prioritize it. And so it's just like, no, that's not going to work for me. And then the other thing with the four tendencies is that like, everybody has a secondary tendency. It's one of the two that like overlap in like the clover essentially. And I often think that my secondary tendency is rebel because of how hard I butt against things like that. It's funny because you, as an upholder- one of the prime examples of how four tendencies things play out are in New Year's resolutions, and like upholders are like one of the few types of people who actually can like set and do New Year's resolutions.
Sadie Simpson:Even thinking about resolutions, or just goals, or the focus of things I've had going into the new year, at least for the last couple of years- they've never really been super specific. Like, they've always been kind of just vague ideas of things I would like to do more of in the new year, or things I would like to shift, or maybe focus on, or change in the new year. Like, especially in recent years, there's never been anything specific, like this year I resolve to drink eight glasses of water every day, or I resolve to sleep exactly eight hours every night, or anything like that. It's just- it's- I try to keep it kind of- kind of vague, I guess.
Naomi Katz:I like that. Somebody- I don't even remember who it was- but I was following somebody who recommended that like, instead of like- even for like a day to day schedule- instead of like, you know, specific assignments and to do lists, to set out blocks of time for a type of work. So that like- it's like, okay, from this time to this time, I'm going to write. And like maybe thats social media posts, and maybe that's emails, and maybe that's like some other kind of content, like whatever feels like it's flowing on that day. But like, it's just writing time. And then like, you know, later can be communications- and like, again, whatever that means. And then admin, whatever that means. And like, instead of being like, hard and firm about, like, what each of those blocks means. And that feels very similar to that.
Sadie Simpson:That feels like exactly how I try to plan out my week. Like I try to block out time. But and then I have like, you know, certain blocks, and chunks, and themes of things that I know I need to get done. But it does- it varies from day to day, kind of how I am feeling. Like some days, the only thing I want to do is sit down and focus on something like a task- like a specific task oriented thing. Like editing this podcast, some days, it feels so good to me, during my blocked out work time, if I'm focusing on this one thing- very task oriented, like there is nothing super like obscure about it, it is, you know, is- it's a very specific thing to do. And then some days it is more of like I have this block of time, and I am feeling more creative to be able to write posts, or make Canva graphics, or whatever. So I can very much relate to what you were just talking about.
Naomi Katz:That's awesome. I, on the other hand, still don't even like that much structure. Like I'll do it when I do it.
Sadie Simpson:Oh my gosh, that makes me nervous. I love it, though. That's really- that's good for us, I feel like, because we both have these different areas of strength and of preferences. And I think whenever you're finding somebody to either work with, or even like on a friendship level, or a relationship level, kind of having these two different types of just energy, and motivational styles, and just the way you do things is really helpful because they can really complement each other.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, absolutely. And like that's true on like a micro level and also on a macro level. Like it's good for the world that there are different kinds of people, and that we don't- and that we're not all the same, and don't all do this stuff the same way. And- just to sort of bring us back around- that's one of the reasons why making New Year's resolutions this like hard and firm like prescriptive thing doesn't work- because it's forcing everybody to do this one thing that like not everybody is going to feel comfortable with or is going to meet them where they're at.
Sadie Simpson:Right. Yep, that's why New Year's resolutions typically don't last more than couple of weeks, maybe a month, maybe a few months. Because if we're trying to fit into a box of what we think that we're supposed to do in the new year, and it's not relevant to our lifestyles, then it's not something that we could stick to for more than a very short period of time.
Naomi Katz:Totally. I very quickly Googled this before we started recording, and apparently, February 1 is the day that most people give up on their New Year's resolutions. As of like, this is like 2020 research, I guess, that like, the average person takes 32 days to break their resolutions, but 68% report giving up their resolutions even sooner than that.
Sadie Simpson:Sounds about right.
Naomi Katz:Right?
Sadie Simpson:From working in a fitness, gym, exercise setting for the last almost 15 years, whenever exercise is typically one of those top New Year's resolutions, I can- I can see that happening, or I have seen that happening, especially on exercise based resolutions.
Naomi Katz:Speaking of New Year's requirements, and nonsense, and stuff like that- yesterday, I got a flyer in the mail from Noom.
Sadie Simpson:No, you did not.
Naomi Katz:Yes. I got a mailer from Noom, showed up unrequested and like non consensually in my mailbox- which is kind of Noom's M.O.- and I just it like blew me away that it's all about- like all the terminologies in it about like the lifestyle, and like the mindfulness. And- of course, Noom being like the worst of all of these things, in that it actually co ops the idea of Intuitive Eating, too- I just feel like maybe it's worth having a conversation about some specific things that are not lifestyle changes or wellness, but are actually dieting.
Sadie Simpson:I can't believe Noom is doing mailers. I didn't even know people still did mail marketing like that. I figured everything was just online and on TV now.
Naomi Katz:Well, so actually, I'm really glad you brought that up, because it's a great segue into the fact that like the people who started Noom are not dietitians. They're not Intuitive Eating professionals. They're not medical professionals at all. They are tech people- like they come from the tech sector. What they did was create an app. That's about it. And so when we look at Noom, and we're like, oh, but it's different, because psychology, and, you know, intuitive eating, and mindfulness, and like it's, you know, science and research-it's like, no, they're tech people making money off of an app. And it's really important to remember that. But also, why are tech people sending me mail?
Sadie Simpson:I wonder if Noom was ever on Shark Tank, because that just seems like- I don't know if you ever watch Shark Tank- but a lot of the pitches are basically tech people coming up with some kind of app based on something that they really have no business talking about, but they want to sell an app. And that just feels very Shark Tank-y to me.
Naomi Katz:Totally. But yeah, Noom is a diet.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:Like it's really important to be super clear about that. Because, in some ways, I feel like Noom is the worst, because their marketing is so deceptive.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:Like, it is like flat out lying to you. Like not just like oh, no, it's wellness. It's like saying it's Intuitive Eating, and it is not Intuitive Eating.
Sadie Simpson:Not at all. Well, you know, this morning- I rarely get to watch Good Morning America, The Today Show, or anything like that because usually that time of day my kid is ready to watch some cartoons- but today I had Good Morning America on- and most of the stuff we watch or stream like on Netflix or something- but being able to watch a show with actual commercials, I saw two WW/Weight Watchers commercials. And I was like, that's interesting. I haven't seen these in a long time. And it kind of surprised me- I don't really know why- but I was a little shocked to see that Oprah is still a spokesperson for WW. And I was like, man, I figured Oprah left the Weight Watchers world a long time ago, but then I remembered, oh yeah, like she's a partial owner of this company, so she'll probably always be the face of WW. But yeah, first time I've seen a commercial like that in a while, and it was pretty similar- like there was a lot of customize for your lifestyle, and you enter, you know, different things into an algorithm but it's supposed to be customized for you, but then it's still very points based, very track everything you eat driven- like all the stuff Weight Watchers has always been. It's, you know, it's the same thing, just packaged slightly differently as lifestyle change.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, totally. Maintenance Phase, I think, has an excellent episode about Weight Watchers that-
Sadie Simpson:Oh yeah.
Naomi Katz:-we'll link to in the show notes. Highly recommend checking that out. But I think one of the things to keep in mind is that like- the- like- Okay, we know diets don't work. And so do these companies.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:The CF- the former CFO of Weight Watchers once explained to his shareholders that the reason his business was successful was because the majority of customers regained the weight they lost. Like his exact words were, "That's where your business comes from." So like, this isn't even- this is like the worst kept secret in the world. And yet, we all feel really tempted to do this stuff in the new year, because it is like pushed down our throats--in mailers, and TV commercials, and internet ads,
Sadie Simpson:Yes. and, you know, all of that stuff. And then there's the stuff that like- I don't know, like, it almost gets pushed as a lifestyle even more, because there isn't the structure to it. Yes. So like, okay, Noom and Weight Watchers- these things have- like, there's apps, and there's a company, and, you know, stuff like that- and so I think it's maybe a little easier to be
Naomi Katz:So, like, in 30 days, it's over. And so, like, like, oh, I see that this is a diet. But like, then there's stuff like- I guess Whole 30 technically has a company too- but like, theoretically, it's something that you should be able to do like on your own, without paying somebody, or, you know, something like that. You know, like you just do a Whole 30. And we've talked about Whole 30 before, and how like that's obviously not a lifestyle. But then there's literally, like, you know, it's not a lifestyle, because in its name it has a deadline. things like keto, which I think a lot of people think is a lifestyle. That's also not sustainable or realistic. Like it's just as restrictive as Whole 30-
Sadie Simpson:Mm-hmm.
Naomi Katz:-except that people think you're going to do it forever.
Sadie Simpson:But you're not.
Naomi Katz:Right. And I- there's also actually an excellent episode of Maintenance Phase about keto-
Sadie Simpson:Oh yeah.
Naomi Katz:-that we will also link to. But like, long story short, it's a like last resort for children who have epilepsy and are non responsive to meds.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:And the reason for that is because it's not sustainable. Like even for people who are doing keto for the prescribed reason, like for epilepsy, even within that demographic, they still tend to not be able to sustain it, because it's so restrictive. And that's why it's like a last resort treatment.
Sadie Simpson:So not a mainstream, everybody needs to do this in January, type of deal.
Naomi Katz:Right. So like, if that's the case, why would we think that we could adopt it as a lifestyle moving forward? Like that's just not realistic, and it sets us up for this feeling of failure, and like we're doing something wrong.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. My favorite thing, especially this time of year- and I say favorite sarcastically, by the way, sometimes sarcasm may not come through on a podcast- but is seeing all of the like sugar fasting, sugar detox, cleanses, like the three day, you drink some kind of something, and basically, you're just sitting on the toilet for three days, but it's supposed to be healthy, and cleansing of your liver, and all this other stuff. The way you see this, just casually flying around on social media, especially Facebook. Like I always have this stereotypical vision of people I went to high school with posting about their three day cleanse or sugar detox, because those are typically the people that just- that share all this crap. Um-
Naomi Katz:Absolutely.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. Like, I just- I sit there and I see this stuff show up, and not only is it bullshit, and it is just so harmful because of the diet culture aspect, but it's really harmful from a health perspective. Like doing these kinds of cleanses can be really hard on your internal organs, and this is not something that just a random girl from high school, who has an MLM and is trying to get you to buy her shakes or whatever, should not be telling other people to do this, because it could really cause some long term health problems.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, not to mention triggering eating disorder behavior, and like all of that stuff.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:And again, like, unless you consider like spending a lot of time in the bathroom a lifestyle, I think we could all agree that these are not lifestyle changes, or lifestyle choices.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:These are diets.
Sadie Simpson:Exactly.
Naomi Katz:It's so problematic that, for one, diet culture has like gotten smart enough to recognize that like, well, we can't call things diets anymore, and so like they've gotten better at pulling the wool over our eyes a little bit.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:But also just that it's so pervasive right now. I think ultimately, what it comes down to, is nothing that requires intense levels of restriction- and like prescriptive restriction at that- is going to be sustainable in the long term. It's interesting, there's this thing that people do called dry January, where they basically don't drink alcohol for the whole month of January. I have mixed feelings about that, again.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. I do, too.
Naomi Katz:Because I think that sobriety is totally a valid lifestyle choice. So I think it's really important to distinguish between alcohol, and other substances like that, and food.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:And this is like- this goes very much into the whole concept of like food addiction's not a thing. And so it's possible that 30 days of sobriety could lead to positive lifestyle changes. It's weird to say that, though, because I also think that 30 days of intense food restriction is definitely going to lead to negative changes-
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:-or behavior. And it's because of that difference- like food is not addictive, food is a requirement for our survival. And so these are very different things.
Sadie Simpson:I've also had just kind of mixed feelings about the idea of dry January. Because I totally agree- like, it could be very possible that abstaining from alcohol, or any other kind of addictive substance for that matter, could be a very positive thing. And I think it's interesting to think about dry January as a concept, because it could be an opportunity, one, for people to kind of question or maybe even explore their relationship with alcohol or other substances in like- in a sense to where they might recognize maybe there is some like further work that could potentially need to be done here. And on the flip side, like it's weird to me, I guess, just to think about how the concept of dry January can be almost kind of co-opted by diet culture too. Like, it's- it- there's a weird balance here.
Naomi Katz:Yes. And I actually think that's why my feelings about dry January are complicated.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:Because I don't think there's anything wrong, especially if you think that it might benefit you- like if you think that maybe, you know, drinking has not been making you feel your best, and things like that, or has been having some impact in your life- then, like taking 30 days to like suss out the situation, and, you know, see what being without it would feel like might be a really good thing.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:But dry January is so diet culturey. It's like everybody should do this, for one thing, which is always like a red flag--the idea that, like, it's prescriptive, and
Sadie Simpson:Yes. it's for everybody. And that it's in January. Mm-hmm. Yep.
Naomi Katz:And like- and that it's like almost like you're compensating for the things that you may have done over the holidays-
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:-which, again, is very much like burn off your food, like get back on track, like, etc.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:And so, yeah, I think that's why it sits weird with me--is because, like, yeah, totally take the time to
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. figure out whether you feel better sober. And also, dry January is like a diet culture marketing technique. Yeah, it is. Well, and it almost makes me feel like the whole last supper mentality thing.
Naomi Katz:Totally.
Sadie Simpson:Like we talk about this with Intuitive Eating- you know, you have your last meal before you start a diet, or your last cheat meal before the new week begins, or that sort of thing. And to me, the idea of dry January almost perpetuates this idea of like, maybe it does encourage more binge drinking like behaviors in December, knowing that January is a-coming, and we're going to do a dry January. And I think that, again, that's still like a good opportunity to explore maybe our relationship with alcohol, and to see where that could potentially be problematic, but I'm right there with you- like it just feels very diety, because it is January, and it's very, like, this is what we're doing. and then we're done in February. So there's- there's a lot of a lot of mixed feelings about that coming from this side of the mic, too.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, you make a really good point about the fact that like, if it's not something that you need to be doing, it has the potential to drive unhealthy behaviors both before and after, as like compensatory behaviors.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:That's- that's really interesting, too.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. And there's a lot more that probably could be said here, but neither of us are like substance use professionals. But maybe that might be an interesting conversation to have with someone who is.
Naomi Katz:Totally. And I think that there's- I think there's even some people out there who like specifically talk about the concept of like, intuitive drinking, and like, maybe that's something that would be interesting for us to like, look into, and have somebody on to talk about at some point.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah, that would be really neat.
Naomi Katz:So having said all of that, there's nothing wrong with having health or performance goals. So like, we've already established that if you're a person who does well with January goals, that like there's no reason why you can't set them. And it's also okay if some of those goals are health or performance related goals, like if that's your thing. But neither of those- health or performance- require dieting. And that's like a really important thing to keep in mind here. Because even if weight loss would theoretically improve our health, or our performance, or whatever, it doesn't actually matter, because intentional weight loss fails over 95% of the time. So it's not a solution. But there are plenty of other things in the world that can support our health and our performance in a more sustainable way- in a way that doesn't fail 95% of the time. And so, you know, trying to remember that, like, it's fine to have health and performance goals. And also, what kinds of things would better support those goals than weight loss?
Sadie Simpson:Yeah, I think that's a really good point. Because, like setting these performance goals, and health goals, and that sort of thing- sometimes that just feels normal to people, that feels like a natural thing to do in the new year. And again, like I agree with you, it can be done in a way that is actually helpful for us. But at the same time, we kind of have to be careful with that too. Because I know for me- again, like I've shared sort of my evolution of setting extreme resolutions back in the dieting days, to not doing any resolutions, to kind of having sort of a flexible resolution mindset- and on a personal level, I can't really remember the last time I've set any sort of very specific health related goal in the new year, for that very reason. Like for me, just kind of knowing my background, and my tendency with past resolutions years ago, like it feels easier and better for me to set goals that are not at all health related- that are more, you know, finance related, or organizational related, or not being on my phone as much related, and that kind of thing. But there are people out there that this might be a good time of year to kind of just assess where there may be some opportunities to set some, either intentions, or just to refocus on some sort of health area or movement goal.
Naomi Katz:So I think that's a great point- one, that it's so important to honor where we're at in our own journeys, and our own relationships with goal setting, and like to really be tuned into our own needs around this stuff, and two, maybe there are some ways to set these kinds of goals that are not so strict, and rigid, and stuff like that. So, you know, I'm a big fan of- if I'm going to set goals, which to be fair, I do set goals sometimes, I just don't do it in January.
Sadie Simpson:That's fair.
Naomi Katz:But you know, one of my goals that I've worked on in the past is just drinking more water. Because, like, okay, that is healthy. Like, we just we know that's healthy. And I don't set like X number of glasses per day, or you know, that it has to be every day, or anything. Like I just keep it really loose. Like what is more? Like more is literally anything that's more than what I'm doing now. Which, by the way, I have a tendency to drink so
Sadie Simpson:Yes. little water, it's amazing that I'm alive, so anything would be more. But you know, just to sort of leave it a little bit more loose like that, you know? Mm-hmm.
Naomi Katz:That's just one example, and everybody's gonna have their own way of doing things, but like really to try and notice when we're like being super strict and rigid, because that's often sign that like maybe this isn't the best way to look at stuff. But also, you know, really looking at what the goals are. A great example is somebody who's like training for an athletic event. You know, like you're training for a marathon, or a powerlifting meet, or whatever- like, you do have to have some structure in your training plan and stuff. And you can really make sure that whatever structure it is you're putting in place, and whatever goal it is you're putting in place, you aren't, you know, focusing that around specific numbers- you know, specific times, specific weights, any kind of change in body size- that like you're trying to make it like an adding rather than a subtracting kind of a situation.
Sadie Simpson:Yes. Oh my gosh, I think that can be such a helpful point for people to remember- making it an adding situation versus making it a subtracting. That can be a real game changer, honestly, when setting kind of a health related goal, or exercise related goal, or resolution, or whatever- to shift from this sort of rigid, restrictive place, and shifting into more of something that just feels good, and feels sustainable, and feels realistic.
Naomi Katz:Yeah. And then, you know, also kind of shifting from like end goals to process goals. So like, my goal is to train for a marathon- PS, my goal is not to train for a marathon, that sounds terrible- but like, if it were, then maybe the goal is to train for a marathon, not to set a certain time in a marathon. Unless you're like a professional runner or something like that, where like, you know, that's going to matter in some way, substantively. That's just- that's another way to kind of make some shifts around how we set goals. The other thing to really keep in mind, though, is that- and you sort of hinted at this a little bit about how now you set goals around like finances, or you know, things like that- is that like, changing our bodies doesn't change our lives. Like, although, yes, it absolutely might change some of our experiences with stigma. But like body goals are not the same as life goals. So I think sometimes we go into these resolutions thinking, I've got to get my life on track, and so I'm going to do this diet. And it's like, well, but what if you set a financial goal? What if you set a self care goal? Like, what if you set a goal about like, going to all your doctor's appointments this year?
Sadie Simpson:Oh, yeah, that was my goal last year.
Naomi Katz:Yeah. Like, what if you set a goal about like, breaking out of diet culture, or, you know, healing your relationship to movement, or like any of those things that actually impact the things in our lives that we may be struggling with, instead of just like our bodies by proxy?
Sadie Simpson:So this is kind of weird, but I was scrolling back through my Instagram feed, and on January 1 2020, I made an Instagram-
Naomi Katz:Oof. That's a rough time to look back at.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah it is. Well, I made this Instagram post, and it was my 2020 goals list. And I won't read all of them, but some of them, I think, are really relevant to this conversation. And one of them was to complete my Intuitive Eating counselor certification, which I did, and we've talked all about that on past episodes. But the other one was to attend some in person business or networking events, with people I don't know. And the funny-
Naomi Katz:Oh my god, you actually did do that.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah, I know, I actually did that, like-
Naomi Katz:That's how we met.
Sadie Simpson:-before COVID happened. Yeah, this is how we met. And I mean, I randomly found the Asheville Body Liberation Collective on Instagram, and I was like, okay, this sounds like something I could be into. And I went to this networking event by myself- which is super out of character for me, I don't want to go into places with people that I have- like, I don't know anybody there. And that's where we met. So it's kind of interesting to look back on that- which was two years ago, but the last few years have been a whole Twilight Zone anyway- and the goal was to, you know, evolve my business, and just myself as a person, to kind of put myself out there. And here we are today doing this podcast based on that goal.
Naomi Katz:Totally. And what I love about those goals are, one, they're like things that have significant impact on like actual parts of your life that you want to improve.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:And, two, they're- so like, I mean, really, both of them- they're like a little bit loose.
Sadie Simpson:Yes. Yes.
Naomi Katz:Even like, okay, finish your Intuitive Eating certification- like, but there's not like an end date. There's not like, I have to do it by this date or it doesn't count, I think that's great. I think that's a way to or anything like that. And like- and the thing about attending in person networking events- which obviously we have to laugh about a little bit- but really even that was like, there wasn't like a minimum number. It wasn't like I have to do one every every month. There wasn't like, you know, anything hard and fast about it. Just like, hey, do some of this stuff this year. really make it to where like something significant can shift for you without it being a pass fail kind of situation.
Sadie Simpson:Even looking back on the shit show that was the last two years, it's kind of neat to look back on that post to see, oh, I actually did something in 2020, which feels like nothing happened in 2020- like on a personal level. Obviously, things happened in the world in 2020, but on a personal level, it feels like the last year or two is such a blur anyway. But I don't know, that's kind of cool.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, I love that. That's awesome. Thank you for sharing that. So I mean, yeah, this is a great example of like, you know, instead of asking what our body- what we want our bodies to look like when we set goals, we can ask what we want our lives to look like.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:And then we can take steps that like actually shift those things. Because, I mean, I feel like I can't say it enough- changing our bodies doesn't change our lives. I think the last thing that's important to really talk about about this stuff is like, it's also okay to just be happy with how things are.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:So I think one of the great diet culture and, of course, capitalism myths is that, like, we always have to be striving for improvement- like that we always have to be getting more productive, or better, or more anything, basically. But like, we actually don't. Like it- it's actually fine if we don't have any growth in mind right now, or like, you know, we're not looking to improve on ourselves right now. Like, do I think that we all probably have some areas where we could like, do some work? Yes, totally. If we're happy with how things are, do we need to do it? I mean, unless we're causing harm, probably not. So that's also a really perfectly valid way to feel right now.
Sadie Simpson:Yes. I love that. I love that you said that. Because sometimes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves, to feel like we have to set goals or resolutions in the new year, because that's just what you do. That's what you read about. That's what you hear about. But really, like, we don't have to do any of that stuff. And it's okay, if we don't want to.
Naomi Katz:And I think one of the ways that can be really helpful to sort of look at like, do we really need to be setting goals right now is to be looking at like, are the goals that we're setting based on things that we personally- like internally- want? Or are they based on things that we think we should be doing, whether that's in career, or relationships, or finances, or business, or like health, or fitness, or like any of those things? Is this something we're choosing for ourselves? Or is there some societal factor that's like, well, this is the next step. Like, this is how you get better.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:I think that's all the things that I have to say about New Year's resolutions.
Sadie Simpson:So I know you've said throughout this episode that you're not typically a New Year's resolution type of person, but what are some things that you would like to accomplish in the new year?
Naomi Katz:I have some business goals for this year. And I think the only reason I think of that in terms of the year is because like fiscal year, you know?
Sadie Simpson:Yeah, I think that's logical.
Naomi Katz:Yeah. But I- I also don't know that they're really any different from the goals that I've had for my business for the past two years. Like, I think it's really building on the same goals that that I've had all along. I truthfully don't know if I have a ton of like personal improvement goals right now. I think I've spent a lot of time on that kind of stuff over the past couple years, and if something comes up, like, obviously, I'm going to take advantage of that, and- and like the motivation to do that, and tend to it. But no, I have no hard goals for the new year right now. How about you?
Sadie Simpson:Business-wise, pretty similar to you- just to kind of build upon some things that I've already started doing. You know, I've already laid the groundwork for some different programs, and things that I've been working on. And just kind of growing those programs at a very comfortable pace for me- I think that might be a goal in and of itself, like not feeling like I have to rush to accomplish things, especially like within my business, but just doing things in a way that feels right instead of rushing through stuff.
Naomi Katz:I love that one, and I kind of want to steal it.
Sadie Simpson:Yes, it is perfectly fine to steal it.
Naomi Katz:Yeah, actually- I guess now that you say that- I think that I would love to find maybe a little bit of a better work life balance over the next year. But I actually think that that is part of like the business goals that I've been- that I mentioned. Like, I think I sort of bundled it all up in there. But I think that's definitely part of that.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. I will say, prior to March 2020, one of the resolutions/goals/intentions that I set a couple of years ago, was to kind of set some more firmer boundaries about being on my phone, and like scrolling through social media, and stuff like that. I really tried to like shut it down by
about 7-7:30 at night and not pick it back up again, until, you know, after breakfast, and after I'd gotten myself ready for the day, and that type of thing. But then once COVID hit, everything, you know, just went out the window. And everybody, including myself, was like on our phones 24 hours a day. Like I would like to set some firmer boundaries around that, and I feel like now is a good time to kind of implement some of those boundaries again.
Naomi Katz:That is definitely something that I have been working on, I want to say over the past several months. Which, by the way, is a good example of why- of where you don't need to do these things in January. That, like, it's actually fine to take on something like that whenever it occurs to you, and seems like it's gonna fit into your life, and you have the motivation to do it. But yeah, that's definitely something that I feel
Sadie Simpson:Yes. Exactly. like I've been working on over the past few months. And I think I've definitely seen some improvement, and has certainly helped with some of my like stress levels-
Naomi Katz:-and mental health and stuff like that. So-
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. Well, this might be an irrelevant question,
Naomi Katz:Yeah, that's definitely something I'll be continuing into the New Year, as well. And like maybe building on. Always building on stuff, right? given the state of the world, and COVID, and things right now- but do you have any exciting plans for New Year's Eve, or New Year's Day, or any traditions that you do on New Year's Eve, or New Year's Day? Not really. So I should mention, I've really never been a fan of New Year's Eve. Like, when I was younger, I for sure went out and partied every New Year's Eve. And it was terrible every year. It's been quite some time since I've actually like gone- like made New Year's Eve plans, because I hit a an endpoint where I was like, why do I keep doing this to myself? This is not fun. And so like Ben and I just stay in. We watch movies. He's making his amazing homemade pizza. And like that's basically our plans.
Sadie Simpson:Awesome.
Naomi Katz:Yeah. How about you?
Sadie Simpson:No plans either. We, like- well, one, we have a four year old, and hopefully he'll be asleep way before midnight. Hopefully I'll be asleep way before midnight, because staying up late- well, I take that back, we might be awake because the new season of Cobra Kai is released on Netflix, so I'll probably watch the whole entire thing, and I'll probably be up to like 2am. So there's that.
Naomi Katz:That is for sure part of our New Year's plans, too. I can't believe I forgot to mention that.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. Yeah, we've been kind of looking forward to that ever since they released the date, or said that it was going to come out on New Year's Eve. We're like, oh, yeah, that's what we're doing.
Naomi Katz:I actually thought that it was supposed to come out New Year's Day. So I was like, oh, New Year's Day Cobra Kai marathon. And then yesterday, I found out that it was actually coming out New Year's Eve, and I was like, well, I don't know why, but that one day made it even better.
Sadie Simpson:Heck yeah, it makes it even better. Well, this is kind of interesting, too. On New Year's Day, which is Saturday- and actually, by the time y'all are listening to this, it will be January 5 or later, so we'll have already done all these super exciting New Year's Eve activities- but another thing that I'm doing this weekend, which is something I do almost every year, is I'm teaching a Zumba class on New Year's Day. And typically, I have pretty much always taught a group exercise class on New Year's Day, probably for like the last 14 or 15 years. And that's been something that's kind of evolved for me over time, too, because years ago, it was like, okay, January 1, let's get back to the gym. Let's start our resolutions. Let's do all these things. Let's exercise. Let's start everything off right. Let's get back on the wagon. All the cliche things. And really in the past four or five years, if I've been given the opportunity to either teach or sub a class on New Year's Day, I always really like to do it, because it gives me a chance to kind of spread the message of, yes, this is New Year's Day, yes, we are here in a studio or in a gym doing this exercise thing, and this doesn't necessarily have to be a thing that is resolution based. Like you can exercise without having an end goal of burning calories. Or you can start a new movement routine, without having to tie it into body change. So I really like to teach a class on New Year's Day to offer an alternative message in a setting that's typically very body change based.
Naomi Katz:Oh my god, I love that so much. And I'm, like, just so happy that there are people in the world who get to have that New Year's class experience instead of the other one. Because-
Sadie Simpson:Oh, gosh.
Naomi Katz:-that's huge. That is- that's amazing.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. And I've been there as a student, and as an instructor on the diet culture side of things, and you know, have definitely perpetuated that as an instructor in the past. But I really like to be able to have that platform, even though, you know, it's probably a pretty small platform- but at least it's an opportunity to begin having some of these conversations with real people, face to face, in a setting that can be kind of problematic. So excited for that.
Naomi Katz:Yeah.
Sadie Simpson:And that's actually what's satisfying me right now. So I don't have to come up with something to say.
Naomi Katz:That's awesome. That is incredibly satisfying. I don't know. Maybe that's what's satisfying me right now, too.
Sadie Simpson:Yes.
Naomi Katz:No, honestly, I think what's been satisfying for me right now is I have been on vacation from my day job this week. So like, this week, I got to do one job instead of two. And it's meant that I've gotten to sleep in a little bit in the mornings- which, I love sleep, so that's real, real high on my list of things to do. I've gotten to, you know, spend a lot of time on the couch watching Harry Potter and stuff like that. And that's been really, really nice.
Sadie Simpson:This was a fun episode. It was a welcome change from the more heavily educational focused things we've been talking about throughout all of the Intuitive Eating episodes. So yay.
Naomi Katz:For sure. And also, just a heads up for everybody, this month we're actually going to start having some guests on the podcast.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah.
Naomi Katz:So stay tuned for that. We're really, really excited. And obviously, we'll give you more information as that gets closer.
Sadie Simpson:Yes. And if you enjoyed this podcast, we would love to connect with you over on our Instagram page. So come on over to @satisfactionfactorpod on Instagram, send us a message, leave us a comment, let us know your take on New Year's resolutions. Do you love them? Do you hate them? If you are setting any sort of goal or resolution for the new yea, leave us a comment, let us know what you're thinking about doing, or what you're feeling for 2022.
Naomi Katz:Yeah. And in addition to that, one thing that you can do to support us, especially if you're listening in Apple podcasts, is to leave us a rating and a review. That will lift us up in the podcast rankings, and that will help us reach more people in this new year.
Sadie Simpson:Yeah. All right, y'all. Happy New Year. Happy 2022. We'll see you next week.