The holiday nutrition crash is all too common every year. The holiday season is a time of fun, excitement, and connection with family and friends… and eating. Lots and lots of eating! It seems to always be defined by food, and usually not very healthy food. If this holiday season leaves you feeling terrified about derailing all you have done so far to embrace and live an active and healthy lifestyle, fear not. You can enjoy all the holiday season has to offer AND stay on track with your active healthy lifestyle.
Remember that there are all kinds of external influences aimed at knocking you off track with your healthy eating. Remember that you also have many internal limiting beliefs related to nutrition waiting for their chance to derail you once again. Be aware that all of these pressures will be present and acting with full force this holiday season. It’s up to you to enjoy all the holiday’s have to offer while seeing and limiting the influence of these powerful forces.
You control your eating and your life. Food does NOT control you.
Whenever you need it most affirm why staying on track with your health is important and let THAT influence your choices. Do enjoy the tasty good treats and meals of the season but use these tips to stay on track while you do so.
How To Avoid The Holiday Nutrition Crash
It’s party time! Enjoy and have a happy and healthy holiday season.
- Don’t arrive hungry. Eat normally, perhaps even more healthfully than normal, through the day and have a healthy snack before arriving at holiday events so that you won’t succumb to your hunger once you arrive.
- Keep portions in check. Use a smaller plate and drink from tall thin glasses. If you do slip back to old unconscious behaviours this will help maintaining portion control. Be choosy of those things you really like and take smaller amounts so you can enjoy a good variety of things. There are many wonderful things to choose from.
- Don’t eat out of obligation. Practice saying NO. To certain items, to seconds, to drinks, or to invitations to events themselves when it supports YOU best to do so. Most people will be okay with it.
- Don’t stand right next to the food. Place a few items on a plate then move away. Avoid the constant unconscious grazing. In fact, keep your back to it, so you won’t constantly be looking at it.
- Don’t drink your calories. Remember that alcohol is packed with calories even before the mix and many of the drinks of the season have a lot of unhealthy fat, sugar and empty calories. Balance these drinks with plenty of water. Put your drink down between sips, you’ll drink less (unless it’s a glass of water).
- Make socializing, rather than food, the focus of the event.
- Carry a symbol of health. Wear or keep something with you as a symbol of your reasons for achieving and living The One Wave Lifestyle. Let it be a consistent, positive reminder of your choices when you need it most.
Oh, here’s an 8th for one last bit of support. If you’re rationalizing that you’ll go a bit harder with your workout tomorrow and that will make it okay to over indulge today, think again! What you are able to add to your workout will NOT counteract the impact of what you unconsciously rationalize eating at the party. It’s a very common story we tell ourselves or others that just does not ADD UP.
Enjoy the party ….. but just not that much!
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.
