Strategies to stay focussed on the goal
The holidays are soon approaching, and temptation to stray from your diet looms everywhere. Cinnabon never smelled so good.
How does this time of year differ for any other time of year?
My answer: it doesn’t. Temptation is never ending.
There will always be an excuse or time of year not to start a diet plan but somehow the holiday season appears to be the most difficult. Perhaps it is the fact that when the winter weather hits, and we bundle up more, we are less body aware, and therefore choose not see the outcome of eating a bit more ‘comfort’ foods during the holidays. If you have goals, and/or have recently decided that the ‘fitness magazine’ look is something you desire, then yes, you do have to make choices. I am not saying to avoid indulging, over the holidays, however, you are responsible for the choices you make, and if you choose to eat poorly over a few days, or over couple of week, you will be that much further from your goal.
Perhaps you feel justified to indulge as you think: Ahem: ‘this one bit won’t matter’; or tis’ the season, as they ‘sinful food x’ is only prepared/made available during this time; or this time of year brings back childhood memories that we want to reminisce among times past. Well guess what? You are no longer a kid, and you can’t get away with it. Those 8-10 bites of [insert food here] that you ‘forgot’ add up.
Here are 11 strategies that you can implement over the holidays and any other time of the year. I am going to skip over the prep your food, and eat before you attend the social event. You should already be doing this.
1. Don’t skip your workouts – perhaps shorten them but don’t skip them. Make time in your schedule. Family will not mind. Perhaps get in earlier in the day. This is non negotiable time just like any other time of the year. You are just as important as your friends and family. The 4-5 hours you take for yourself for the week will not negatively impact them, but skipping on that time for you will impact you in a negative way.
2. Protein powder – bring some just ‘in case’. Keep the protein powder nicely wrapped up in a zip lock in a baggie (or prepared a bunch) and a shaker cup available. Have one in your purse, or leave some in the car. You never know what is being served at mealtime, and it is always way more fat and carbohydrates than you need. Even at parties a protein shake (not strawberries) does look like a brown cow in a glass. No one needs to know what you are drinking.
3. How is this [insert food] going to make you feel? After I eat a big meal all I want to do afterwards is take a nap. Then it snowballs to a few hours or even a day or two of being unproductive. Or better yet, ask yourself – is this food in line with my training/goals? Will it help your training? If the answer is no, then you might want to stick to the veggie tray.
4. Focus on the moment and the people around you. Be more engaging in conversation, socialize, and be in the moment. Although food is one part of holiday parties/social event, you do not have to let it control you.
5. If the food you are eating does not taste drop dead delicious – don’t finish it.
6. Go to an event, visit, socialize then leave. When you are tired you are more likely to make poor choices. Better off to get to bed, and have a well rested morning. And you don’t wake up the next morning feeling …..
7. If your friends/ family asks questions on why you are not eating sweets etc, let them know. If they are truly good friends/family they WILL understand, and they WON’T (or shouldn’t) judge you or try to make you feel guilty on choosing to not follow the group.
8. Choose 1 or 2 social events over the 2-week holiday period to indulge. For example, Christmas eve or Christmas Day, New Years Eve or New Year’s Day. Indulge means have a meal with friends/family, perhaps even desert, but remember #5. This is not a time to binge eat and be a pig. Aim to be satisfied, but not roll me out the door full.
9. OD on vegetables. Most parties do have a veggie tray. Eat as much as you want. If they don’t refer to #2 until you can get home and get some real food with some nutritional value.
10. Separate how you are feeling to your internal cues for hunger. Holidays with family and friends (especially family) can be very stressful. You do not need to punish yourself for the behavior of others. Do not use food to self medicate. Eat if you are hungry (OD on veggies) but don’t eat to just eat.
11. Go back and re-read#1 to #10.
A.
I’m printing this!