“I had a difficult time moderating how much I ate at Thanksgiving, how can I prevent this for the next holiday?”
Holidays are often approached with excited anticipation. Spirited melodies, the hustle and bustle of the local shopping mall, and the holiday cheer exchanged between strangers can bring a little shining light to anyone’s day. However, if you have made the decision to lose weight or restructure your diet to be healthier, it can also be a time of anxiety and panic. We often justify the lapse in control with the excuse that “it’s the holidays, I’ll get back to normal on Monday”. Here are three easy steps that can help curb your guilt and the need to revamp your diet yet again.
- Be Prepared
Preparation is key when you are facing a situation when the lack of self-control is glorified and expected. You can arm yourself for a food battle by eating a small healthy snack before you leave for your destination. Try filling up a little on veggies and hummus, a piece of fruit and string cheese, or a piece of whole wheat toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Eating a small snack before you leave will help keep your hunger cues in check and overeating at a minimum.
- Deprivation Does NOT Win Awards
There isn’t any reason why you can’t allow yourself to enjoy a little self-indulgence on a holiday. Depriving yourself of holiday treats can lead to binge eating after the fact. Have that little slice of Heaven pooled in a pie shell or that dollop of whipped cream piled on top, just have it in moderation. That advice goes for EVERYTHING. You can have anything on the table, just use your already fine tuned portion control senses and keep your servings to a portion. If you can’t finish everything on your plate, then DON’T! Nobody will make you feel guilty for leaving food on your plate, especially if you have informed them of your intention to lead a healthier life. They will applaud you! And most likely ask you your secret…
- Brush Your Shoulders Off
If you lost yourself a little in an overwhelming heap of mashed potatoes and gravy, the extra turkey leg, or the second piece of pie (you did have to try them all, right?) there’s no use crying over spilled milk (or gravy). Pick yourself up – don’t beat yourself up, and recognize what you could have done differently to help prevent the episode of over eating. Take it as a learning moment and use it to combat the next holiday gathering where you will be faced with tiny, delectable temptations in the shape of Christmas trees and snowmen. Remember that no ONE food item is the enemy, it is adapting your diet to be varied and moderated in both content and calories. If you know you’re going to indulge a little at a holiday dinner, then skimp back a bit for breakfast (but don’t skip it!) or add 20 minutes on the elliptical. Don’t stay down for the count, if you indulged more than you had planned. Pick yourself up and brush your shoulders off.
Your holiday season should be a time of joy and reflection on the things that are important to you. This includes the decision you’ve made to implement a life-long dietary change to benefit your health. Don’t lose track of that and think it just starts over again on January 1st. The challenge is to adapt your life, no matter the circumstances to include your health decision. It doesn’t mean you won’t have bad days and good days, just make sure they don’t turn into an excuse to have free reign of unhealthy habits for the entire holiday season.
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!” ~Hamilton Wright Mabie
