The holidays are packed with celebration, parties, food, drinks, and stress too.
This year, make a commitment to yourself to implement some healthy habits, really enjoy the holidays, and lose the weight forever.
Learn how to enjoy the holidays without discipline and denial.
1.
Do not go to a party hungry.
So many people I know starve themselves all day before a holiday dinner or party.
When we skip meals, our body goes into famine mode, slows down metabolism, and holds on to fat.
Once we eat, the body stores all the calories assuming that it will not get the next meal for a while.
Plus, when we are hungry, we tend to eat too fast and therefore, over eat.
2.
Use a plate.
It is dangerous to stand over the food table and nibble our way through the night, chatting, and not pay attention to what we eat.
Put your food on a plate so you see how much and what you are eating.
Enjoy! If you want seconds, just give it 20 minutes before you fill up your plate again, giving your stomach time to tell your brain you are already full.
3.
Eat mindfully.
Feast, eat, and be merry, but eat mindfully.
Don't deprive yourself of your favorite foods.
Savor every bit slowly and put your fork down after every bite.
4.
Socialize.
It is the season to celebrate friends, family, time off, and all the things we are thankful for.
So focus on mingling, laughing, and less on the food.
5.
Drink water.
With all the alcohol around, have a glass of water in between drinks.
This allows us to celebrate with a nice beverage yet not over consume.
Alcohol has lots of calories.
6.
Stay busy.
Volunteer to help the host with music, photos, dishes, etc.
so that you do not end up hovering over the food table.
Have some fun and be the center of attention.
Focus on feeding your soul more than your belly.
7.
90/10 Rule.
Do not deprive yourself of joy and delicious food because for every restriction there is an equal and opposite binge.
Eat good, real food 90% of the time, and 10% of the time you can just let loose without guilt.
8.
5 a day.
It can be difficult to get at least 5 fruits and vegetables in a day during the holidays, but make sure you have plenty of fresh produce in the house.
Make good habits easy by making them accessible and make bad habits difficult by removing them from the house.
Treats in the house will get eaten, maybe more often than you would like.
9.
Move.
Continue to move your body and focus on movement you enjoy.
If you hate the gym, don't go.
Do you enjoy walking, dancing, biking, hiking, etc.
? We need to move our body every day even if it means just walking for 10 minutes.
The holidays are fun but they can also be stressful.
Exercise is great way to de-stress, gain balance, and get clarity.
10.
Self-care.
Do not run yourself into the ground.
Make time for yourself.
Get some down time with a book, music, a bath, or whatever relaxes you.
Unplug and turn off your cell and computer.
The body needs to recharge.
Stress turns on our sympathetic system which turns on our fight or flight response and shuts down our digestive system which is why we gain weight.
In addition, the body releases cortisol which prompts fat storage in the mid-section.
Enjoy the holidays!!! The key to success is support.
Reach out to family, friends, and professionals.
This year, make a commitment to yourself to implement some healthy habits, really enjoy the holidays, and lose the weight forever.
Learn how to enjoy the holidays without discipline and denial.
1.
Do not go to a party hungry.
So many people I know starve themselves all day before a holiday dinner or party.
When we skip meals, our body goes into famine mode, slows down metabolism, and holds on to fat.
Once we eat, the body stores all the calories assuming that it will not get the next meal for a while.
Plus, when we are hungry, we tend to eat too fast and therefore, over eat.
2.
Use a plate.
It is dangerous to stand over the food table and nibble our way through the night, chatting, and not pay attention to what we eat.
Put your food on a plate so you see how much and what you are eating.
Enjoy! If you want seconds, just give it 20 minutes before you fill up your plate again, giving your stomach time to tell your brain you are already full.
3.
Eat mindfully.
Feast, eat, and be merry, but eat mindfully.
Don't deprive yourself of your favorite foods.
Savor every bit slowly and put your fork down after every bite.
4.
Socialize.
It is the season to celebrate friends, family, time off, and all the things we are thankful for.
So focus on mingling, laughing, and less on the food.
5.
Drink water.
With all the alcohol around, have a glass of water in between drinks.
This allows us to celebrate with a nice beverage yet not over consume.
Alcohol has lots of calories.
6.
Stay busy.
Volunteer to help the host with music, photos, dishes, etc.
so that you do not end up hovering over the food table.
Have some fun and be the center of attention.
Focus on feeding your soul more than your belly.
7.
90/10 Rule.
Do not deprive yourself of joy and delicious food because for every restriction there is an equal and opposite binge.
Eat good, real food 90% of the time, and 10% of the time you can just let loose without guilt.
8.
5 a day.
It can be difficult to get at least 5 fruits and vegetables in a day during the holidays, but make sure you have plenty of fresh produce in the house.
Make good habits easy by making them accessible and make bad habits difficult by removing them from the house.
Treats in the house will get eaten, maybe more often than you would like.
9.
Move.
Continue to move your body and focus on movement you enjoy.
If you hate the gym, don't go.
Do you enjoy walking, dancing, biking, hiking, etc.
? We need to move our body every day even if it means just walking for 10 minutes.
The holidays are fun but they can also be stressful.
Exercise is great way to de-stress, gain balance, and get clarity.
10.
Self-care.
Do not run yourself into the ground.
Make time for yourself.
Get some down time with a book, music, a bath, or whatever relaxes you.
Unplug and turn off your cell and computer.
The body needs to recharge.
Stress turns on our sympathetic system which turns on our fight or flight response and shuts down our digestive system which is why we gain weight.
In addition, the body releases cortisol which prompts fat storage in the mid-section.
Enjoy the holidays!!! The key to success is support.
Reach out to family, friends, and professionals.