Did you know that the idea of New Year’s resolutions is rooted in religious ideals of Lenten sacrifices and similar notions? That’s why we often vow to give something up rather than set self-improvement goals.
Resolutions typically revolve around weight loss and other body transformations. After the holidays with lots of consumption we think that the next natural step is to discipline our bodies by resolving to lose various numbers of pounds—but many of us don’t achieve this "goal."
Jenny Armentrout, assistant professor of communication studies at Saint Mary’s College, studies contemporary weight discourses. Her goal is to challenge the status quo about how we regard weight. She can speak about suggested alternatives to the typical resolution to lose weight regarding empowerment, empathy, balance, and rights for all. For instance, why not resolve to do more reasonable things? Resolve to stop drinking pop. Resolve to take a 15-minute walk everyday. Resolve to NOT step on a scale.
More on Armentrout’s expertise: She looks at the relationship between the dichotomies and paradoxes observed in the process of setting body goals: good vs. bad, healthy vs. unhealthy, success vs. failure, fat vs. thin, gluttonous vs. abstemious, moral vs. immoral, deserving vs. undeserving, attractive vs. unattractive, etc.
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