You’ve already got one major holiday eating fest under your belt. If you were able to handle Thanksgiving gracefully, then that belt is still on the same notch. Yay, you! We hope Yuletide comes and goes as smoothly. If not, you still do not have to dread the coming Christmas and New Year’s feasting. Here’s how you can enjoy all the holiday delectables without the I-just-blew-my-fitness-program guilt.
As much as we might make out the actual holiday foods and drinks to be the villain, they’re really not. It’s the “shouldn’ts” we associate with them. Creating a long list of taboo foods that includes all the treats you so fondly remember from childhood just makes them that much more tempting.
One way to decrease cravings is to give yourself permission to indulge them (within moderation, of course). Instead of telling yourself:
…tell yourself something more empowering, like, “I really like the results I’m seeing from my workout program. I’d like to eat in a manner that is consistent with my goals.”
How many times have you found yourself munching on a cookie that you don’t even like that much…but it was there? Don’t be a creature of old, bad habits. Make new habits—like being selective about the treats you enjoy. You will be amazed at the amount of sugar and calories you can avoid just by being honest about what treats you really do and don’t like.
The holidays are special, in part, because they do not happen every day. And the same is true for many of the foods and drinks offered during holiday celebrations. Staying on-course with your fitness goals does not mean you have to abstain from everything. Instead, set realistic limits. For instance:
Setting limits is empowering because you both give yourself permission to enjoy food and communicate to yourself that you are more powerful than your cravings.
Holidays can be hard, and not just because of all the delicious food seemingly daring you not to eat is. Holidays can be rife with family drama, painful memories and stressful busy-ness. There’s no need to set yourself up for failure by trying to do everything—including saying “No” to another slice of fruitcake—by yourself. Ask for help from a friend or family member you trust.
To ensure that your buddy can support you in a way that does not feel like judgment, communicate:
