Your plan was to relaunch your regular gym and clean eating regimen on January 1. More than a week into the new year, that's mostly fallen by the wayside. Logically, you know that your self-worth doesn't rely on perfect attendance at SoulCycle. So why do so many of us drop into a shame spiral when we skip a few workouts or finish off a sugary treat? 

"We’re in a society that hyper-values fitness and thinness, and we're taught to be ashamed of feeling like we're not to living up to expectation," says Andrew Walen, a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders and body image and the founder of The Body Image Therapy Center in Washington, D.C. Not sticking to a routine can also make you feel out of control, and that too tends to fuel anxious or depressive thinking, says Walen.

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Maintaining your healthy food and fitness goals is hard work, and sometimes life gets in the way—or the couch and a Stranger Things binge session are calling you hard. Next time you start to feel guilty for what you view as slipping up, try these simple mental tricks, which will banish negative thoughts and empower you with body positivity.

Recite a mantra

Repeating an affirmation, song lyric, or some other catchy and motivational phrase might sound a little silly. But reciting inspiring words keeps you in the moment and gives your brain something to focus on, crowding out self-criticism while the mantra's positive message sinks in, says Walen. 

Next time you start to beat yourself up for ditching the treadmill, repeat your mantra out loud or in your head with intention. We like "I'm more than my body" and "I am beautiful" because these phrases are simple and super upbeat. But anything that resonates with you in a personal way will work just fine.

RELATED: 5 Powerful Mantras to Help You Quiet Anxiety, Beat Self-Doubt, Manage Stress, and More

Banish 'I should' from your brain

Pay attention to key words in your own internal dialogue. "Every time you hear 'I should' or 'I must,' recognize that you're punishing yourself for no reason," says Walen. For example, if you're spending time relaxing on the couch with family and suddenly catch yourself thinking, "I really should put on my gym gear and go for a run," stop right there. Distract yourself with your social feed, a conversation with your partner, anything to get out of that negative head space.

Put on clothes that make you feel awesome

You should never feel bad about your body, but if you do, there's no quicker way to start feeling sexy and attractive than changing into an outfit you know you look good in. "Dress in a way that makes you feel adventurous and flirtatious and desirable," says Walen…

Ulta Beauty has been accused by a former employee of reselling used makeup that was returned by customers, and the brand’s fans are expressing their outrage on social media while the brand investigates the claims.

The former employee, who goes by Fatinamxo on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, posted a lengthy Twitter thread recounting her experience of what happened behind closed doors while working at the beauty giant.

“So I was a former employee at ULTA and whenever a customer would return a product, we were told by managers to repackage / reseal the item and put it back on the shelf,” Fatina tweeted.

Fatina continued posting on the thread, which has since gone viral, and even shared photographic evidence to back up her account. “For example this foundation ( even sticks) they would clean it with a q-tip to make it look new. I’ll attach a photo of a NEW foundation vs. the one they repackaged and put back on the shelf. ( NOT SANITIZED ),” she said.

Allegedly the managers at Fatina’s store location pressured the employees to comply to this process, and even taught them how to make pre-used makeup look brand new.

“They even taught us how to clean eyeshadow palettes and let it dry over night so it can be repackaged and sold the next day,” Fatina tweeted. “Managers would get pissed if they saw items in the damage bin that looked resell-able.”

RELATED PHOTOS: Celebrity Makeup Artist Hrush Achemyan’s Top Beauty Products for 2018

Fatina said on Twitter that she reached out to the corporate Ulta Beauty offices but was unsatisfied with their answer:. “I contacted corporate and I was surprised to hear her say  ‘Well when it comes to mascaras we definitely want to be hygienic.’ I immediately cut her off and said what about lipsticks ? And foundation ? They are reselling everything that they can clean up and make “new” again,” she wrote..

 After Fatina’s allegations picked up steam, she says, other Ulta Beauty employees from different locations divulged their similar experiences to her.

The former employee’s Twitter thread worried loyal Ulta customers, who tweeted at the beauty giant asking for answers. “@ultabeauty EXPLAIN YOURSELVES,” one customer tweeted.

“@ultabeauty if this is real? This company is disgusting, and law suits are gonna happen! I can’t believe consumers spend there hard earned money for products that were already used!!! That’s sooooooo nasty! I’ll stay away from ULTA for now!” another person tweeted.

The store’s official Twitter handle has been replying to each customer’s complaint on Twitter with the same statement: “The health and safety of our guests is a top priority for Ulta Beauty. We are looking into these claims as the actions described are inconsistent with our practices and values…

Before the confetti is even swept up and as hangovers are still being nursed, many of us solemnly resolve to do things differently in the new year—which often means spending more time at the gym. Trying anything new is intimidating, but when you walk through the world in a larger body, stepping out of your comfort zone can make you feel especially self-conscious.

That's even more true at the gym, where plus-size people often face self-imposed shame about working out. The reality of gym culture is rarely one of self-acceptance; going to the gym implies a need to change.

RELATED: The 6 Biggest Mistakes Trainers See You Making at the Gym

Over the years, I’ve made what feels like a million promises to myself to get off the couch. When I do finally get in the groove of working up a sweat on a regular basis, it’s always great for me and I get easily addicted. But as I’ve gained weight and gotten older, I’ve found myself in a familiar shame spiral that prevents me from starting something new.

Like so many plus-size women, I convince myself that it somehow makes sense to lose weight and get in shape before I start working out. It’s like cleaning for the housekeeper (which for the record, I do not do). But I know I’m not alone in getting a familiar sinking feeling of entering a new exercise space, then feeling judged, or worse, pitied.

What 'fit-shaming' sounds like

When it first became trendy in New York, I did a lot of Bikram yoga. I fell in love with it. As with most of my obsessive phases, I eventually moved on. Years later—and considerably heavier—I dropped into a class. I hadn’t done any exercise in years and the heat really got to me, so I sat down during a standing pose to catch my breath.

RELATED: The 15 Best Body Positive Moments of 2017

The teacher asked if me if I was okay, but it was clear he was annoyed. At the end of class in front of everyone he said, “If you’re not able to stand for even one full class you should really see a doctor.” Ouch. The irony is that when I had been thinner I also had to sit down—and even left the room when I first started—but no one ever commented that there might be something wrong with me. Needless to say I was mortified and felt too ashamed to return.

During one particularly sedentary phase of my life, I talked to my therapist about how I really needed to start working out again. About a year before, I had done a series of cross-training sessions. Of all the workouts I’ve tried, it was the most effective for losing weight quickly. I told her how I was thinking of going back to it, how I knew I “should.”

She questioned why I ever left. I knew exactly why—I hated it! So she pushed me, asking why I would pay money (so much money) for something I hated and couldn’t sustain the last time in the hopes that I would lose weight…