I do love this time of year, but I also get a bit nervous and scared right around now. This is when clients say things like, “I will just gain 5-10 pounds over the next month and we can deal with this in January” – Pretty please NO NO NO!
Celebrate, enjoy your friends and family, eat some really yummy food, but remember to take care of yourself and not set yourself up for total sabotage.
Some tips to keep you focused on the prize:
1. Exercise – Get moving! Go for a workout in the morning, grab a family member and go for a walk or park on the outer edge of the parking lot when you go shopping on Friday. Walk, move, hike, sweat – burn some calories. Download workouts onto your phone so you can exercise in your hotel room or guest room of wherever you are staying – just get moving. Good for your body and mind.
2. Eat your vegetables! We focus on the turkey and the starch so much we forget the veggies! Enjoy your favorite foods but still find a way to fill a good chunk of your plate with non starchy vegetables. Bring your own vegetable dish to the party you attend – even if they didnt ask you to. Just do it! Set yourself up for success.
3. Drink water. Enjoy your egg nog, saucy cider and cozy wine – just drink water too! We get so focused on filling up on booze we forget to get a few sips of H2O in there as well. After a glass of wine, have some water to manage your intake. You will thank me later when you are not hungover.
4. Eat before you go. Eat a mini balanced meal before you leave your house. Get some protein, veg, a little fat and a little starch so you feel satiated and calm. If you walk into dinner wanting to eat your arm off you are setting yourself up for a tricky night.
5. Be mindful. Check out the scene – what are your options? Do you really want the baked potatoes…nope – you really want the mac and cheese. Check out all the goods, decide on what you want and then go for it rather than mindlessly noshing for hours.
Last piece of advice…enjoy your friends and family! Yes, this is a time to break bread with the ones you love, but it does not have to be all about the bread! Catch up with people, talk, enjoy, celebrate and eat only what you really want.
We all have so many things to be thankful for. Appreciate it and enjoy it.
Remember, January 1st is 34 days away – what will you weigh?