How to Stay on Track During the Holidays

The holidays can be a wonderful time of year, but they can also be overwhelming, with additional responsibilities, holiday gatherings, and mixed feelings about them. 

 It can feel inevitable that you will gain weight and be stressed out by the end of December.

However, that doesn’t have to be the case. This article will give you some mindset and lifestyle tips to help you feel in control of your life and weight and leave you feeling your best heading into the following year.

Holiday Mindset

It’s equally important to take care of yourself during the holidays as you do during other times of the year. As women, we tend to put our needs on the back burner to care for others. However, you deserve to take care of yourself because you are a human being. Yes, you can take care of yourself and still create and enjoy holiday magic; both can be true. 

Top 4  strategies to build in self-care

1️⃣Look at your calendar and block out times when you have events (including the time required to travel or prep for events, if necessary), along with other obligations. This will allow you to determine how much time you have.  

2️⃣Think about the health behaviors that are the most important to you and create a continuum where you have options that are “good enough,” “better,” and “best.”  The continuum will give you options for what to do when you have little time.  

3️⃣Identify 1-2 non-negotiables you want to do daily and shrink them.  Behavior is addictive and self-signaling.  Following through with a non-negotiable tells your brain that you value the behavior, even during busy times, and you will continue to follow through. Identifying non-negotiables will make it easier for you to “get back on track” after the holidays.

4️⃣Set boundaries and adhere to them.  Say yes to things that are a “hell yes,” and politely decline if it’s not a hell yes (or an obligation).  “No, thank you” is a complete sentence.  

Holiday Extras

Before we get into the strategies for managing indulgent food, it’s important to recognize that one meal or one party won’t make or break your progress. What is more important is what you believe about the holidays and what you do leading up to and after the event.  

Do you believe that you can make different choices this year? Your beliefs (mindset) drive your behavior and your ability to bounce back from days when you didn’t follow through as planned.  

Before a party/dinner/event

It’s important to know your goals for the event. Here are some questions to help you decide:

          •  Is it a special event with foods you see a few times a year? 

          •  What does the rest of the week look like? 

          •  Is this the only event, or is it one of many? 

          •  How do you want to feel the day after? 

The answers to your questions will guide how you approach the event. Is this a time that you will indulge a little because it’s a one-off, or do you want to practice following through with your nutrition goals because you can be in charge of the outcome? 

Whatever you decide, it’s crucial to prioritize protein, fiber, and water leading up to the event.  Whatever you do, do not attend hungry or eat “lightly” to save room for the meal because this will sabotage your efforts, and you will end up overeating.  Also, remember that food isn’t transactional. You don’t have to make up for anything you will eat.  

During the event

Parties are a great time to practice mindful eating.  Enjoy the experience, and eat slowly. A great phrase to remember is, “food in mouth, fork on plate.”  If possible, eat while sitting down, and stop when you are at least 80% full, when you want more but don’t need more.  

If you are drinking, decide beforehand how many drinks you will consume and drink water between drinks.  

After the event

At the end of the night, take some time to reflect on your experience.  Ask yourself what went well and what could have been better.  Do so without judgment.  Remember, these are all new skills for you, and it will get easier with practice.  

If you appreciate a mindset approach to your health, download my Mindset Mini Course here. This five-day email series will guide you through common mindset traps and strategies for overcoming them.