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Here we are folks. Early-December. If you’re in the US, the last 2 weeks and the next 4 weeks of our lives will be filled with carbs, alcohol, and so many cookies you can’t even imagine. Our culture and traditions, while glorious, also make it very hard to be healthy for the holidays…or even WANT to be healthy for the holidays.
I’ve struggled with the power to say “no” to delightful looking food and drink my entire life. Lets call it FOMO. (Because it is). It was my big hold up on not wanting to join 30/10…I would have to miss out on food I loved, not drink on occasions where I would normally indulge, miss out, miss out, miss out.
I’ve found what I think is a pretty solid balance between my indulgence and saying no. If someone comes around with a box of chocolates or whatever, I don’t feel extreme guilt anymore if I say, “oh, no thanks!!” but I also dont feel guilt when I happily accept the monster brownie (a combo of layers cookie dough Oreo’s AND brownies) from another co-worker, because a) HOW COULD YOU NOT and b) I can have one or two bites and be good.
Have I said “life is about balance” enough on here yet!?
Is it sinking in? Cause you should let it. Why? Because you can eat a brownie and not lose your mind, because you know you are taking steps elsewhere to ensure you are healthy and not flying off the rails. So let me present some ways for you to stay healthy for the holidays.
Before I give you the list, let me hit you with some facts.
- The average American gains 1-3 pounds between Halloween and New Years Day.
- 45% of people who make New Years resolutions resolve to lose weight.
- Only 8% of people achieve their New Years resolution – no matter what it is.
- 80% of people who have a gym membership don’t actually use it.
- 70% of people who start a weight loss resolution don’t last 90 days.
- In fact, only 2% of people who start a weight loss resolution stay consistent for those first 90 days.
So, when I give you this list, remember these stats, and set yourself up for success. Do you want to start 2019 with weight to lose, or do you want to be ahead of the pack, having already lost weight or having stayed stable because you were able to put mind over mouth watering matter??
Going to a party? Eat first.
Even if you just have a snack, you wont believe the difference you see in yourself! You wont be flirting with the snack table, you’ll be able to mingle and have fun because you aren’t as focused with how hungry you are!
Watch your drinks.
What I mean to say is, don’t drink your calories, then eat a huge meal. One drink makes you so much more likely to reach for the snacks. Plus, if you are provided with a crazy sugar holiday concoction, that’s a LOT of calories. Solutions? Bring your own drink! If you have a bottle of wine that you like (especially if its lower calorie) or a hard alcohol with a mixer, bring it! No one ever says no to more booze. Then you can stick to that, you look like an excellent guest, and you don’t drown your daily calories with sugar and…stuff. Also, drink a glass of water in between every alcoholic drink. It’ll slow you down and help keep you in check.
Portion Control
As you gather to give thanks, count your blessings, and celebrate all the things in the season of “fill your plate then go sit down” remember to WATCH your plate. Please note that I am NOT saying don’t try everything…put what looks good on your plate. But put a SMALL amount of it on your plate. Like, a bite or two of each thing. You can ALWAYS go back for seconds, but there is something about leaving food on your plate when you’re at a very large and full table that feels weird, so people always try to join the Clean Plate Club, and overeat then feel miserable. You can join the CPC, but you can do it with portion control.
Potluck? Perfect.
If you are asked to participate and bring something to the party, the dinner, the potluck, whatever, PERFECT! You get an opportunity to control some of the health of the event! Sure, everyone else may bring cookies and rolls and mashed potatoes (weird sounding meal) but you can bring something healthy that tastes great, so you know there is at least one healthy dish for everyone. Plus, want to know something fun? Making something that is SNEAKY healthy – where people don’t know that it’s made with healthy food and they love it, then BAM! Surprise, you ate healthy in the season of bulge.
Walk it out.
You’ll note I haven’t mentioned exercise. That’s because weight loss (and maintenance) is 80/20. Its 80% about what you put in your body, 20% about how your burn it off. So, while I strongly encourage you to workout this season (or start again, check my Instagram from Monday for my version of jumping back on the wagon), I want you to remember that it’s more about the food.
SO – if you do overeat, if you do overindulge, DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP, but make sure you walk it out, work it out, get those 10,000 steps a day to help keep you stable. Plus, you can make it fun! Last Thanksgiving, I got my sisters and dad to run a 5K in the pouring down rain to earn our meals!! (Shout out to my mini monster who had to deal with it to cause I wanted to push her along). Don’t want to keep your phone on you all day as a step counter? Get a Fitbit. I have one and love it. I personally have the Fitbit One, because I have child-sized wrists and I also wanted to be able to hide it (and wear it with dresses), but get the counter that’s right for you. As an aside, I have had this same Fitbit for almost 6 years and it’s been fantastic. I have had 0 issues with it, but I did have to buy a new cover for it (which was like $4). So, its a purchase that more than pays for itself.
So there you go.
My 5 easy ways to stay healthy for the holidays. And, as a gift to you, I have it for you in printable form! Want to share this with others? Tape it to your desk so you can stay away from the cookies in the office kitchen? Click below and I will send you these plus five BRAND NEW, TOP SECRET ways to staying healthy for the holidays! Trust me, you do NOT want to miss this!
In this season of intentional gratitude and remembering our blessings, remember to be thankful for your body, the choice of what to fill it with, and its abilities to move for you. There are so many who don’t, and it’s certainly a blessing to be able. Enjoy this season for what it is, a time of togetherness, celebration, wonder, awe, overflowing grace, blessing, and love come down. Enjoy the food that goes with it and the fun that comes along. In your ugly sweater or while you watch The Grinch, remember that balance is everything, then give yourself some grace.
Happy Bulge Beating!
