For a long time, I dreaded the holiday season. I loved spending time with my family and showering my kids with presents from Santa, but the thought of being confronted with goodies that were just too good to pass up frightened me.
I knew that by New Year’s day I would be right back where I always was; fat, frustrated and fed up with myself. Every year the story was the same. No matter how much I convinced myself that this year would be different, I ended up gaining those unwanted holiday pounds.
And forget about trying to fit into a cute dress for New Year’s Eve. I was more content putting on a pair of sweat pants and calling it a night. I might even throw myself a pity party just for kicks.
The good news is I put an end to the self-pity and regret from over-indulging a few years ago. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but the holidays don’t have the same power over me as they used to.
Now I can look Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s square in the eye and claim victory for having had the tools and know-how to maintain the slender figure I worked so hard to achieve. And I enjoy the holidays so much more now than I did before.
So how do I do it, you might ask? Well, here are a few tips for you to use as we enter into this final month of festivities. Give these four tips a try and you’re sure to beat the holiday blues.
Indulge a little if it makes sense: If you think that denying yourself 100% from tasty foods and treats is going to keep you thin, think again. Weight loss success is not about perfection, but rather progress. If you’re eating well 80-90% of the time, that’s great! Allow yourself a little treat here and there without feeling guilt for it. It’s when you’re eating 80-90% bad stuff that it becomes a problem. Also, if you have food sensitivities like I do, steer clear of the offending food/s or you’ll end paying for it and it’s really not worth it.
Bring your own healthy dish to the potluck: This year I brought a raw, gluten free, dairy free pie to my sister’s house for Thanksgiving. I was so excited when it was time for dessert because I knew I would be indulging in something that was healthy and super tasty. No guilt…just pure pleasure. I also brought a big green salad for dinner so I could fill up on greens along side small portions of mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey. Rather than bringing a traditional unhealthy dish to the potluck, bring a healthier version instead. No one will know it’s healthy because it tastes just as good or even better.
Get right back on track: So let’s say you eat a little too much at the office party and wake up the next morning feeling a bit bloated. This is your cue to do a little detox. Start the day with a couple of large glasses of warm water and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Then make a smoothie with protein powder for breakfast. Drink lots more water throughout the day and substitute lunch or dinner with a smoothie as well. Basically what you’re doing is flushing the junk out of your system and giving your digestive tract a break. The key here is to stop the over indulgence in its tracks. Don’t keep it going by eating more and more. Flush your system and move on.
Ignore the food cheerleaders: You know what I’m talking about right? We all have friends and family who cheer us on to eat more or eat the wrong food. And they love to give you a bad time for eating well. You know the ones who say, “You only live once”, or “One piece of pie won’t kill you”. Yes. These statements might be true but who wants to live ‘once’ in a body he/she hates? And it’s not one piece of pie that will kill you. But did you know that the average American consumes around 150 pounds of sugar per year? Yikes. Now that’s a recipe for disaster. Smile politely to the comments and make your choices wisely without feeling the pressure.
These are the tips I use throughout the holidays to stay on track and not give into the idea that I have to gain weight like everyone else is doing. You can make it through the holidays unscathed, too. And if you need a little extra support…you know where to find me.
