Though holiday months can have an air of magic around them, they can also be incredibly stressful at the same time. Wherever you fall within this emotional range, there is no doubt that it’s a particularly difficult time to stay on track with healthy eating habits.
Yep. Holiday treats are EVERYWHERE. Parties are abundant. Not only that, you may be running around looking for last minute gifts, prepping for company, or stressing about what you will wear out to dinner or a party.
So today we would like to share a few pointers that we hope will EASE your stress around holiday eating.
Check out our 3 in 3 video where we share our 3 tips in 3 minutes, or scroll further down and read below.
1) Get into the drivers seat
Do you expect to gain weight during holiday time? We love to use the analogy here of the front seat of a car. If your brain is telling you that the holiday months are a time to indulge and you’ll start your “diet” in January, you’re not alone. We know what you’re thinking. There’s way too many holiday-themed temptations to bother with healthy eating habits, right? WRONG. That mentality puts you right in the passenger seat. You are letting the food/temptations drive the car, not YOU.
Do you expect to gain weight during holiday time? We love to use the analogy here of the front seat of a car. If your brain is telling you that the holiday months are a time to indulge and you’ll start your “diet” in January, you’re not alone. We know what you’re thinking. There’s way too many holiday-themed temptations to bother with healthy eating habits, right? WRONG. That mentality puts you right in the passenger seat. You are letting the food/temptations drive the car, not YOU.
We urge you to take control of the wheel! Picture yourself in the drivers seat, making wise choices and not being a victim to your surroundings. There are several ways to do this . . . so keep reading onto tips 2 and 3 for some inspiration.
2) Think more about what to include vs what to avoid
We love taking this healthy approach. Here’s how it works. Instead of always focusing on what to avoid (holiday cookies, caramel popcorn, etc), we encourage our clients to work in as many fruits and veggies as they can. This is crucial during holiday time when we often let our good intentions slip. But if you give yourself a goal of eating 6-7 servings of fruits and veggies a day, it ensures you are getting in great nutrients and crowding out unhealthier choices.
We love taking this healthy approach. Here’s how it works. Instead of always focusing on what to avoid (holiday cookies, caramel popcorn, etc), we encourage our clients to work in as many fruits and veggies as they can. This is crucial during holiday time when we often let our good intentions slip. But if you give yourself a goal of eating 6-7 servings of fruits and veggies a day, it ensures you are getting in great nutrients and crowding out unhealthier choices.
3) Practice mental rehearsals
Ok this one is super cool. Instead of constantly telling yourself you’ll TRY to be good during the holiday season, actually picture yourself looking and feeling wonderful in January. Visualize how you want to feel coming out of the holiday season. Happy, confident, energized and ready to take on a new year? Or bloated, fatigued, and way behind the 8-ball. It’s up to you. You have way more control than you think (remember, drivers seat)!
Ok this one is super cool. Instead of constantly telling yourself you’ll TRY to be good during the holiday season, actually picture yourself looking and feeling wonderful in January. Visualize how you want to feel coming out of the holiday season. Happy, confident, energized and ready to take on a new year? Or bloated, fatigued, and way behind the 8-ball. It’s up to you. You have way more control than you think (remember, drivers seat)!
It can also be helpful to have a special mantra that carries you through the season . . . something like “I am learning to nourish my body through the holiday season.”
So, staying with a healthy eating program through the holidays is not impossible. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 (above). If you have any other healthy holiday eating tricks, share it in the comments below.
