Hacks for “The Holidays”
Photo by Dilyara Garifullina on Unsplash
Special occasions all bring the same challenges.
One of my biggest pet peeves during this time of year is when people bemoan “THE HOLIDAYS” as their reason for not staying on track. As if it is two solid months of fun and holiday celebrations (from Halloween to New Year’s - trust me - I heard that a lot when I was a coach at WW). It’s not. Even before Covid, the people with the busiest social calendars were not celebrating or partying multiple times per week for months.
The problem with labeling a number of weeks “holidays” is that you are subtly letting yourself off the hook, as if your behavior is controlled by the dates on the calendar. So let’s start by reframing our thinking. Look at your calendar. When are the ACTUAL days that you will be eating differently or celebrating? Good. Now that you are clear on that, not only are those days a chance to be successful, but so is every other day in between.
Despite our not normal holiday season, we will still be enjoying special seasonal foods and it is always good to give some thought to the ways in which we can stay successful during occasions where there are more challenges.
My Thanksgiving hacks can be adapted for any challenge during any time of the year. I do not tell you what or how much to eat, but instead encourage you to think before you eat. I encourage you to be thoughtful and strategic about your choices. I hope to help you retain a sense of control over your special meal, and enjoy yourself.
Here they are, in no particular order:
Get some exercise in the morning. Not to create a calorie deficit so that you can eat more, but because it is good for you and can help with any holiday stress you may have.
Eat a small, protein rich breakfast.
Drink 48 ounces of water (or more) starting in the morning all the way up to your big meal.
Make a loose plan of what you will eat. Visualize it.
Eat the foods that are often ONLY available at this time of year like stuffing and homemade pie. Avoid the foods that you can access any time.
Avoid appetizers and do not sit near them.
If you taste something calorie dense and you do not LOVE it, do not finish it.
No seconds until you sit for 15 minutes after you are finished with your first plate.
Don’t eat to keep other people happy. Say no thank you. Say you are full. You do not owe anyone any sort of apology for your food choices.
Have fun and remember it is ONE MEAL.
And here is the thought I would leave you with: If you get to the end of the night and you realize that you ate or drank more than you had planned, or more than you wished to, give yourself some grace, not a beat down. Remind yourself of how you WERE successful, and on Friday morning get up and get back to it.
