The holidays…the most wonderful time of the year. Time to enjoy friends and family, spread cheer, enjoy the magical Hallmark movie marathons, and….be surrounded by a plethora of delicious, high-calorie, diet ruining food. Sound familiar? The holiday season can create stress for many people who have stuck to a diet plan and healthy lifestyle for the whole year. A source of worry that they will “gain it all back” or “fall off the horse” during the holiday season because of the temptations of holiday parties, gatherings, presents, etc. It is a time when many people put their weight loss goals on the back burner, causing them to over indulge and start the new year exactly where they were last year…overweight and unhappy. What if I told you it didn’t have to be this way? Below are 4 ways to stick to your healthy habits during the holiday season, allowing you to start off the New Year satisfied with your progress from this year and optimistic about the transformation you will continue making in the year to come.
Prepare Your Best Plate: with all of the food choices available at these gatherings, it can be easy to grab whatever looks good. Though this can be delicious, it may not be the optimal choice for our health. When preparing your plate, make sure that half of it is full of veggies, salad, or fruits. On the other half, make sure at least ¼ of it is a good protein source-turkey, ham, beans, chicken, tofu, etc. The remaining ¼ can be used for foods that are more “fun”, think casserole, a brownie, pumpkin pie, etc. When enjoying your meal, make sure to start by eating all of your veggies, then enjoy your protein, and lastly enjoy the last ¼ of your plate. Eat slowly and mindfully, giving yourself the permission to stop eating when you feel satisfied.
Eat Beforehand: we’ve all been there…we get to an event “absolutely starving” and overindulge on whatever is available (which is most often unhealthy appetizers…18 mozzarella sticks to be exact). This can lead to making poor choices which will result in feeling guilty or spiraling out of control and continuing to overindulge for the rest of the evening. Before you leave for an event, enjoy a big salad. This will ensure that you’re getting a good amount of veggies in (a food group that is often scarce at these holiday gatherings…) and that you feel satiated when arriving to the gathering. You will be less likely to grab whatever food is in site, and more likely to make smart choices.
Offer To Bring a Dish: it can feel lonely sometimes being the only person at an event to be watching their weight. If you are worried that the event won’t have any healthy options for you, take matters into your own hands and offer to bring your favorite healthy, holiday-themed dish! This way you know that you’ll at least have one option for you to enjoy, and you won’t feel left out by completely abstaining from the food altogether.
Recruit Support: trying to maintain your healthy habits alone over the holiday season can be challenging. Find someone or a group of people who have similar goals and struggles to help keep you motivated and accountable. This can be your partner, your best friend, or a coworker, anyone who can help you to stick to your healthy goals throughout the holiday season, coming out stronger and confident in the New Year!
If you are looking for support to help you stick to your healthy habits throughout the holiday season, join my 5 month Healthy for the Holidays Support Group! This online group will allow people to share their tips, recipes, “wins,” and challenges with each other. It will allow for people to feel supported and gain confidence in themselves that they’re able to handle the holidays without gaining unwanted weight and losing sight of their goals. The group will finish with a 12-week New Year’s Resolution Accountability Challenge that will guide members through creating sustainable resolutions along with a plan and social support & accountability to stick with them.
With this program, receive access to a virtual support group via Facebook with daily discussions and live meetings, individual weekly check-ins with nutrition consultants to personalize the program to fit your needs, and a 12-week New Years’ Resolution Accountability Challenge to help you finally be able to create and crush your New Years’ Resolutions! To secure your spot, click here and enter code CHEERFUL to get 25% off of this 5-month program! Take control of your health this holiday season, secure your spot in this fantastic support group today!
Have a healthy and happy holiday season everyone, and remember you are capable of adhering to your health and fitness goals no matter the circumstances!