Potatoes, stuffing, pie, cranberry sauce, turkey, gravy, cookies, ROLLS, glass of wine, more pie, cookies, green bean casserole, egg nog...SO MUCH FOOD. Also, SO LITTLE ACTIVITY! I don't know about you, but after about three days I feel like I need to fast or detox, or sleep for about a month.
If you have ever felt like that then you already are ahead of the game. Changing habits begins with first figuring out what to change! In the grand scheme of things a day or 3 of indulgence isn't going to erase 345 days of working hard and eating right. So you could just say screw it and wear the sweats and do your best Hoover impression.
OR... you could hold on to that feeling like crap sensation from past holiday seasons and set an intention to feel better this time around. Hint: this way doesn't cause guilt or rebound binging.
Before the festivities begin take an hour to put pen to paper and reflect on holidays past. How did you feel last time you were in this place? How would you like to feel? What foods are you most looking forward to? What foods are not that special? What do you miss the most during the change in schedule? Can you somehow include that during your crazy busy time? What is the thing that is an absolute non-negotiable?
Then identify the things that you have no control over- Aunt Beatrice's need to put half a stick of butter in all foods during prep, that day where you simply can't fit in a workout, family stress.
Now identify the things that you can control: workout at least _________ number of days, portion size, selecting foods, your reaction to family stressors, a plate that you bring to the festivities, and on it goes.
You have more control than you think, you just might need to be creative. Just remember that it is a process, one that you won't always get right, and one that you need to stay on top of. As I am sitting here I am feeling gross from overeating a fabulous comfort food dinner- I could beat myself up over it, I could say screw it and head back to the kitchen for another brownie, or I can make a plan for tomorrow that includes an extra fruit and veggie serving, smaller portions, and a ton of water, then I might change my typical Sunday restorative workout to something with cardio.
Lifestyle change is about observing and course correcting based on awareness and observations. The holiday season is the perfect time to put it into action, then you won't feel deprived or have to tell everyone "I'm on a diet" and get pity stares all weekend. So have the cookie, it probably won't kill you.
