Holiday survival tips

Tis the season to be jolly, right? Well, when I think jolly, I think happy which is perfect. I also think rolly-polly which is NOT the way I want to look this holiday season. But it's the way many people look as the holidays progress. 

I can't tell you the number of times I've heard people say "I'll get healthy in the New Year" or "I've just accepted that I'm going to gain 5-10 lbs this holiday season." It's become socially acceptable and frankly a national norm to let oneself go over the holidays and then chalk "lose 10 lbs" up as a New Years' resolution.

Well, this holiday season is going to be different for me. 

I find that saying something out loud makes me feel more accountable to making it happen. My goal this holiday season is to stay on track with my eating and workouts. I will NOT fall off the wagon! I will stay true to my 80/20 rule (eating clean and healthy 80% of the time and eating moderately the other 20% of the time.) I will eat clean and still enjoy the holidays with my family. I will continue to workout 6 days a week not because I have to but because I want to. It makes me feel better physically and emotionally and is a must for me.

How, you ask, am I going to stay true to my goals this holiday season when temptations abound?

Here are a few tips to get through the holidays without compromising your health:

1. Pre-eat. If you're going to a party or family event where you're not sure what you options will be or where you anticipate being tempted, don't go on an empty stomach. The worst thing you can do is arrive starving to a party only to find that everything is deep fried and without a veggie platter in sight. Instead, have a protein shake or a healthy snack before you go.

2. Bring a salad or veggie dish. The host/ess will likely be appreciative and then you are guaranteed to have at least one dish you can eat.

3. Drink water! Before, during and after. We often mistake thirst for hunger so make sure you're well-hydrated. Drinking water also helps your body feel full which will help prevent you from over-eating.

4. Go easy on the booze. Alcohol adds unnecessary calories to your diet and it also lessens your inhibitions which often leads people to over-eat. If you are drinking, set a limit of 2 drinks and then nurse it to make it last. Also be sure to hydrate before and after. Make sure to drink at least one full glass of water for each alcoholic beverage consumed.

5. Schedule your exercise. Set a date with yourself and put it on the calendar. During this hectic time of the year, it's important that you make time for your fitness. Even if you only have 30 minutes a day, that's 30 minutes of goodness for your body. Beyond working out, take opportunities to move your body in other ways. Embrace the far away parking spot at the mall, take the stairs rather than the escalator, or take a walk at lunch to get your body moving. Any movement is good movement.

6. Eat slowly and wait before grabbing seconds. Give your body the time it needs to realize it's full. Also, if you have the option, choose a smaller plate. So many of us are raised as members of the clean plate club. It's hard to retrain your mind to know when your body is full so better to take less and give yourself a chance to really think about whether you need that second serving than to eat it mindlessly because it's on your plate.

7. Just say "NO." It is ok to say "I'm full" or "I'm taking a break." I know it sometimes seems hard to turn down food and especially in my Italian family it's an insult of sorts. If that's the case for you, eat slowly and use the "I'm taking a break" option or offer to help out in the kitchen to distract from the fact that you're choosing not to have a 3rd or 4th serving of the green bean casserole.

8. Give in to your cravings. In moderation. Better to plan for a splurge here and there than to deny yourself your mother's famous pumpkin pie only to find yourself binge eating it in the kitchen after everyone leaves. Instead, plan for those splurges. Get in a good workout the morning of, stay on track all day and then have that piece of pie and savor it. Know that you worked hard for it so enjoy it. One piece of pie is enough though - stop yourself before grabbing a second piece of pie.

9. If you slip up, forgive yourself and move on. Sometimes we fall off the wagon. It happens and it's not the end of the world. Better to accept occasional slip ups and learn from them than to allow one slip-up to derail all of your progress. If you fall down, dust yourself off and get back up and pick up where you left off.

10. Set goals. Be realistic. Don't tell yourself that you're going to lose 20 lbs. by January 1st. That's just a set-up for failure. Instead, set up realistic and attainable goals. For me that means eating clean 80% of the time and working out 6 days/week. For some of my challengers it means losing 2 lbs by the New Year. Whatever your goal, make it manageable and figure out what you need in the way of support to make it happen.

You do not need to resign yourself to gaining weight or embracing the unhealthy this holiday season. Instead, give yourself the gift of health. 

If you're interested in more info on a 30 day Survive the Holidays clean eating group, fill out the application below for more info.

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