My word for the year 2026 is Partnership, and although this could mean establishing ways of collaborating and joining forces with others, where I mean to place the focus of this is in relationship with the self and body.
For over 25 years in private practice as a clinical dietician, I have witnessed women either feeling in control of their eating habits and food or out of control. In fact, one of the most common lines I hear from someone approaching me to work with them is that they feel out of control and need to get this back again.
Feeling out of control shows up as eating foods that they deem to be “bad” or not eating perfectly according to a prescribed diet that they have tried and failed at more times than they have succeeded.
The dieting world applauds those who can stick to rigid rules and denigrates those who find this unsustainable and therefore impossible.
And the reality is that for most women out there, the strict rules, which often mean needing to live with a level of restriction and deprivation that is hard to maintain for long periods of time, cause more harm than good. Each attempt at trying and failing erodes the relationship they have with themselves, reduces their ability to trust themselves around food, and disconnects them from their body.
They feel so uncomfortable within themselves, they have a wardrobe filled with clothes of different sizes and in the morning, when they need to get dressed, they find that this is one of the most stressful times of the day.
And yet, they still feel caught in this cycle of trying to be “good”, managing for a short amount of time, only to “fall off the wagon” and overeat all the foods they have been denying themselves. Part of this cycle is the conviction they have that this is the only way to achieve their weight loss goals and for them to finally feel good in their bodies again.
Here is where I step in to offer a different path. One that is unfamiliar for sure, but a path to healing, to a calmer relationship with food, and one where the rules of “good” and “bad” foods can melt into the past, never to be repeated again.
This can feel quite uncomfortable for a woman who has convinced herself, and been convinced by the constant bombardment of dieting messages, that the only way to achieve her goals is through strict dieting and restriction. At first, it is normal to doubt the framework I am encouraging. But for those who stay the course, the results are incredible and change their lives in ways they never thought possible.
No more making separate meals for the rest of the family, and eating boring diet food on the side.
No more saying no to meals out with friends.
No more fearing Shabbat and Chag meals.
No more fearing hunger.
No more going to sleep at night filled with shame and guilt over what they have eaten and promising themselves to be “good” tomorrow.
No more overeating or bingeing on forbidden foods.
It seems too good to be true, right? In a world where weight loss promises and before-and-after pictures are what sell, it is almost unbelievable. And yet it works, time and again.
What is different about the work I do is that instead of imposing external food restrictions on my clients, I encourage connection to their body. We do this through following a suggested eating pattern (which may feel a bit “diet-y” — but really isn’t). Each meal they eat is a test to see how their body responds.
Does the food they eat energise them?
How long does it keep them full for?
How clear is their brain and mind after eating?
If they eat something small before exercise, is this helpful or not?
Each step they take is about exploring, without making sweeping statements like “From today I will only eat this way” or “From now on I am never having bread again.”
Instead, we approach food and the body as collaborators rather than enemies. This is where the idea of partnership truly comes to life.
A partnership implies listening, curiosity, respect, and responsiveness. It means noticing feedback and adjusting — not forcing, controlling, or overriding. When a woman begins to work with her body rather than against it, something profound shifts. The body no longer needs to shout through cravings, fatigue, or overeating, because it is finally being heard.
In this partnership, there is no “failure.” There is only information.
A meal that doesn’t sit well isn’t proof that you’ve done something wrong — it’s data.
A day where hunger feels louder isn’t a lack of willpower — it’s communication.
Weight changes, energy dips, cravings, digestion, mood — all of these become messages rather than moral judgments.
This approach is especially important for women in midlife.
During perimenopause and menopause, the body is changing rapidly. Hormones fluctuate, stress tolerance shifts, sleep is often disrupted, and what once “worked” may no longer do so. Trying to impose stricter controls at this stage often backfires, increasing disconnection and frustration. Partnership, on the other hand, creates stability in the midst of change.
When women learn to respond instead of react, to nourish instead of restrict, and to support instead of punish, trust slowly rebuilds. And with trust comes consistency — not the rigid kind driven by fear, but the sustainable kind rooted in self-respect.
Over time, food becomes simpler.
Eating becomes calmer.
The mental noise quietens.
And weight goals, when they are appropriate and desired, are approached from a place of steadiness rather than desperation.
Choosing partnership in 2026 is not about giving up on goals. It’s about choosing a way of living that doesn’t require constant self-surveillance, guilt, or starting over every Monday.
It’s about recognising that your body is not the problem to be fixed — it is the partner you’ve been missing.
And when that partnership is restored, everything else begins to fall into place.
A gentle next step
If this way of thinking feels different — or even a little unsettling — that’s okay. It often is. If you’re curious about what working in partnership with your body could look like for you, you’re welcome to reach out and start a conversation.
There is another way forward — one built on understanding, compassion, and trust.
