Five proven strategies to avoid buying new jeans in January

Five proven strategies to avoid buying new jeans in January (without FOMO)

Jane Arlow • January 2, 2025

Do you want to avoid the dreaded "Did my jeans shrink?" moment?

Unfortunately, it's built into our DNA, but that doesn't mean it's inevitable.

Our hunter-gatherer bodies evolved to manage through periods of feast and famine.

Meaning, when food became available, damnit, we were gonna eat it. Lots of it.

And we’d use the energy needed right then, and store the rest as body fat.

Because, following a feast, came leaner times, when we’d rely on the body fat we’d stored to get us through.

Except of course, we don’t have those lean times anymore.

Now, we’re kind of feasting - i.e. normal eating where we maintain weight; or feasting properly where we put weight on all the time.

Which means our weight can keep creeping up every year.

I’m not suggesting you need to fast or starve yourself.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know this is not my jam.

I love food waaaaaay too much.

So, instead of making yourself miserable with your own mini-famine in the New Year, here are my five science-backed strategies to avoid buying new jeans.

1 - Start the day strong

Tempted to skip breakfast to "save calories"? Don’t!

Eating breakfast within 30-90 mins of waking up can help reduce cortisol levels (which are naturally elevated in the morning).

Cortisol’s a stress hormone that regulates many bodily functions, including blood sugar, metabolism, and the immune system.

Skipping breakfast can cause cortisol levels to rise, which can lead to a change in the hunger-related hormones being released (making you feel more hungry and reducing the “fullness” signals).

What’s good to eat to help balance cortisol?

Protein: plain Greek yoghurt, eggs, beans
Healthy fats: nuts, seeds, nut butters, oily fish
Leafy greens: spinach, kale
Whole grains: quinoa and buckwheat

And, almost as if our bodies are a system, all these foods are great for bone, brain and heart health!

Who’d have thought it?

2 - Ditch the "All or Nothing" Thinking

OK, give me a high five if this sounds like you:

"Well, I had Quality Street before breakfast, I’ve blown it today - I might as well eat the whole tin, AND the crisps".

Yep, been there, had that snack-cident.

It’s OK.

You don’t need to eat perfectly all the time.

Enjoy the treats you love, but listen to your body.

Are you really hungry, or is your mouth just lonely?

3 - Navigating the Dinner Table

I know many of us grew up with parents who told us to clear our plates because “there are starving children who’d be glad of that!”

But you’re an adult now - you don’t have to.

You also don’t have to pile all the things on your plate (I can hear my sister rolling her eyes at me, because of course we do!) .

Instead, try choosing the things you’re most excited to eat.

If you eat and chew your food more slowly, you’ll be able to hear the fullness signals your body’s sending you.

Don’t forget that you can also balance the indulgences with veggies, soups and fruit.

4 - Watch your alcohol intake

I’m not trying to be a killjoy, but alcohol is not your friend.

Firstly, it’s empty calories with zero nutritional value.

Secondly, when your liver’s busy processing alcohol, it’s not doing its other jobs properly, which include storing and releasing glucose.

While this is especially a problem for anyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes, it’s not great for anyone’s blood sugar levels.

Thirdly, you’re more likely to reach for calorie-dense, sugary and salty food.

I do have a fourthly, a fifthly and a sixthly, but you get my drift!

Not saying “don’t drink” but do try and limit your intake.

Try eating some slow-release fibre-rich carbs before drinking to help balance blood sugar; and alternating alcoholic drinks with water.

5 - Close the kitchen for the night

Have your last meal of the day, as early as poss - yes, with dessert if you want.

And then close the kitchen.

Continuing to eat throughout the evening means your body's going to still be trying to digest your food as you go to bed.

So you won't sleep properly.

And when you don't sleep properly, this disrupts your hunger signals the next day. Check out this blog to learn more

Meaning you're more likely to reach for calorie-dense sweet and salty food.

And finally, I know I'm always going on about the fact that exercise on its own is poorly correlated with weight loss, but, actually keeping moving throughout the winter will help you to sleep better, especially if you do it outside in the morning.

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Breast cancer - know your risks

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!