Chasing Health, Not Shortcuts: A New Year’s Reflection on Real Change
Every January, millions of us set intentions to feel better, move more, eat more mindfully and step closer to our own idea of wellbeing. These goals come from a deeply human place. A desire to live fully, freely and with strength. But our bodies are not projects to rush, and our self worth is not measured in numbers on a scale.
Recently, UK health authorities issued a serious warning. Illegal weight loss medicines sold online and through social media are putting lives at risk. These products often look convincing, sometimes even mimicking legitimate treatments, but they can be fake, contaminated, incorrectly dosed or contain powerful substances not listed on the label.
What is being sold as a quick fix can instead cause serious harm.
And this matters. Not just to you, but to everyone who loves you.
Health should never come at the cost of your life
Wanting to change your body does not mean you are broken. Wanting to feel stronger, lighter, healthier or more confident is not a failure. It is hope.
But shortcuts that bypass medical care and safety do not move us closer to health. They gamble with it.
Illegal and unregulated weight loss injections and tablets are not acts of self care. They are risks taken in moments of desperation. They can cause severe side effects, unpredictable reactions, long term damage and in some cases, life threatening harm.
No goal is worth that.
Sustainable change begins with compassion
We also need to talk honestly about weight, without shame.
For many people, being overweight is not about laziness or lack of willpower. It can be deeply connected to emotional eating, stress, trauma, mental health, hormones, genetics and food addiction. Diet culture has taught us to blame ourselves for struggles that are far more complex than a calorie count.
Self hatred does not create lasting change. Compassion does.
If you have tried before and felt like you failed, you did not fail. The approach simply was not right for you at that time. Sustainable progress does not come from punishment. It comes from care.
Health is more than weight loss
Real health looks like this:
- Feeling safe in your body
- Sleeping better
- Moving in ways that feel good
- Nourishing yourself without guilt
- Learning to trust your body again
It is about choosing consistency over extremes. Progress over perfection. Support over secrecy.
If medical weight loss treatments are part of your journey, they should always be accessed through proper medical assessment, prescribing and monitoring. Never through anonymous sellers, social media messages or unverified websites.
Kindness is not giving up
You can chase your goals and be kind to yourself. You can want change and accept yourself today. You can work toward better health without risking everything you have.
Choosing safety is not weakness. Slowing down is not failure. Asking for help is not giving up.
A gentle promise to yourself
This year, choose a path that honors your life.
- Choose steady, supported progress over dangerous shortcuts.
- Choose evidence, care and professional guidance.
- Choose self respect over shame.
Your body has carried you through every chapter of your life so far. It deserves patience, care and protection, not punishment.
Chase health. Chase strength. Chase wellbeing. But never at the cost of your life.