Holiday or holiday season Indulgence
We all love our holidays and our traditions but how can we stop it from completely derailing our healthy eating patterns? Yes, it’s a holiday season, but it’s really three holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas and NYE.
One of the services I provide to clients is a monthly accountability plan. They either follow my meal plans or log food intake on a daily basis (photos are also a great tool), which I review, but I always tell them to NOT log on Thanksgiving, Christmas and NYE. These are special days, meant to be enjoyed with friends and family and, yes, usually some typical holiday meals. I don’t want my clients to feel guilty about anything on those days. Actually, I really strive to get rid of guilt as a response to food intake on any day. Guilt serves no purpose and creates a negative hormonal response so I tell clients to think about how the food makes them feel and then move on.
On these special holidays, it’s important to enjoy the moments but focus more on the engagement with loved ones more than the food. Here are some things that can help to enjoy the holiday and then get back to healthy patterns.
Give yourself the day to enjoy the foods you really love. Don’t think of any of those foods as forbidden. That will help from over indulging. How many of us think, “Oh well f*#k it. I’m off the wagon anyway so may as well go crazy.” Avoid getting into that pattern by giving yourself permission to eat what you want on that day but also listen to your body and don’t overeat to the point you will feel like the stuffed turkey. Eat more slowly and really savor the food.
Get some exercise the morning of the holiday and the morning following. Exercise does amazing things for insulin sensitivity and has been shown to boost cravings for healthier foods. Exercising the morning after can help release inflammation from the day before.
I advise that you do NOT weigh yourself the next morning. Any weight gain is likely inflammation, which will be released with a return to healthy eating.
Start the next day with a light fast or a protein-rich breakfast with some anti-inflammatory foods. An egg scramble with 3+ vegetables (I love greens, mushrooms and cauliflower in my eggs) and black coffee or green tea is a great option.
Make a commitment to get back to your regular nutrition on the next day. Studies show that going off a plan once has minimal significance in the long term, but going off twice, three or four times then becomes a habit.
Get rid of the foods that will be tempting the next day! Don’t rely on willpower (I hate that word) - it doesn’t work! Send the pie or stuffing off with guests if that is your biggest concern but ENJOY it on the holiday!
Sign up for my Reset in January to start the year with healthy habits!
I wish you all the best holiday season, making new memories that last a lifetime!