Happy December!
Tis' the season of holiday parties! And holiday parties come with lots of treats. I don't know about you, but I can go overboard on the treats.
Eating too much doesn't feel great and it affects our health. As we get older our health becomes more and more important and our lifestyle starts to catch up with us.
It's a good time to think about what we want this holiday season and how we want to feel. (Before we gain a few pounds and regret it).
The key is to make a conscious decision.
A goal properly set is halfway reached. ~Zig Ziglar
Tis' the season of indulging. For me, part of a good life is eating delicious food. The key to enjoying it is to feel good. That means eating with some moderation and balance.
It is possible to enjoy yourself and indulge without gaining weight and feeling bad.
Chocolates, cookies and cakes, oh my!
I used to gain a few pounds over the holidays. As I’ve gotten older I have found it difficult to get those extra pounds off. Year after year the scale creeps up. Losing five pounds feels manageable but I imagine losing twenty or thirty pounds would feel daunting, so it’s important to nip it in the bud.
If you're with me, here's what I recommend:
First, decide what you want.
If you decide you don't want to gain weight and you want to feel good over the holidays then...
Start by PREPARING:
Think about how it feels to overeat:
the bloating
clothes tight and uncomfortable
the break-outs
frustration & disappointment
the effort it will take to get the extra weight off
Then decide, I don't want to:
gain weight
feel bloated and over-stuffed
put crap in my body
feel disappointed with myself
DECIDE:
I want to feel good and enjoy, guilt-free, delicious food!
Prepare by:
portion control
extra workouts
no junk food or treats
drink 8 – 12 glasses of water a everyday
lots of vegetables, lean meats, salads & fruit
limit or cut fat: butter, creamy dressings, anything deep fried
eating sensibly the days/week/month leading up to the event or season
limit starchy bloating foods like: rice, potatoes, muffins, bread, crackers
So you go into it feeling like you've lost a few pounds, clothes feeling looser.
I’m not a big fan of the weigh scale, however, it can be helpful to gauge where you’re at. Use it as a tool, not a weapon.
ASK YOURSELF:
Is It Worth It?
Is it actually more enjoyable when I eat more?
Are those delectable treats actually delectable?
Do I really need to eat three plates full to enjoy myself?
At the end of Christmas dinner, do I want to be bloated and overstuffed?
Am I eating it out of boredom, something to do, unconsciousness, obligation?
Is stuffing my face for the month of December worth the extra pounds at the end?
Is It Crap?
Is it made with crap (artificial flavours and hydrogenated oil) or natural ingredients?
If you can’t pronounce the ingredients or don’t know what they mean, then it’s crap.
Consider how you will feel after you eat it. Crap makes you feel like crap.
Be picky! Be choosy! Don’t eat crap! Trust me it’s not worth it.
Just eat food you love and enjoy!
Attitude:
This is a big one. Once you’ve decided on what you want, embrace it. What you think and say to yourself after that is everything.
If you start to lament that you’re on a “diet”, that you can’t eat this or that, that you wish you could but you don’t want to gain weight, then you’re hooped, it’ll be difficult to stick to your plan.
Focus on what you’re having instead of what you’re not having.
With the right attitude you won’t miss a thing and enjoy what you have.
Don't make food the focus!
(PS. Think about your holiday baking, who's going to eat it all?).
