Simple Ways to Stay On Track During the Holidays

Have your holiday extravaganzas left you feeling overly full, bloated, heavy and downright frustrated that you blew your healthy eating goals? And it’s not even Christmas yet! The stress of feeling we’ve derailed or gone “off the wagon” is a common theme during the holiday season.  Sometimes it leads to the “screw it” principle where you feel like you’ve already messed up so why bother at all.  This can be a defeating way of viewing your situation.  Good news is it doesn’t have to be this way!

Perspective Is Everything

The ups and downs of being “good” or “bad” when it comes to healthy eating can finally come to an end.  Let’s look at ways we can move past our food-focused indiscretions or maybe even re-evaluate them to see that we’ve merely consumed a bit more in one moment in time, but are still on track, moving ahead in the big picture.

More Than Just One Meal

Where the calories and extra pounds really stack up for most of us isn’t the extra 1,000 calories from that one holiday main meal.  It’s the thousands upon thousands that creep in under-the-radar in the hours, days and weeks surrounding these festivities.

• Extra glasses of alcohol
• Sipping on party-themed, sugar-laden drinks
• Nibbles and bites of those baked goods sitting out on the counter. Wondering what’s really in that sugar cookie?

Simple Ways to Stay on Track

Here’s a quick list to counter getting derailed this holiday season:

• Drink more water. At least one for every alcoholic drink. Set a limit ahead of time for alcohol or sugary drinks and stick to it.  Water is unlimited.
• Keep fruits and veggies in sight and on hand. Grab and nibble anytime.  Go for these first over popcorn, nuts, apps, crackers, candies.  While homemade, plain popcorn and nuts can be healthy, a steady stream of consumption of the festive-type with added oils or sugars isn’t quite the same.
• Go for a walk, stretch, or quick strength exercise. Not only will your muscles keep revving your metabolic engine, but time being active is time not eating

Practice Self-Compassion

We all derail sometimes.  It’s human nature.  Getting right back up and facing forward is possible although can feel overwhelming.  Here’s how to change your perspective in the midst of a crazy season.

• Tapping into community and getting support can make a world of difference.
• Remember that practice makes it possible. Practice means sometimes it goes well and other times not so much; it’s all part of the process.
• Practice Mindfulness Read more about this ancient stress-reducing practice that can help with weight management.
• Say goodbye to being over-stressed. Some stress is healthy and necessary, but we’re all faced with far too much in modern culture.
• Include the power of permission in your everyday. Cut yourself some slack!
• Bounce right back after a binge. Even when all doesn’t go as planned, you can get right back to it, seriously.

With the New Year and its boundless resolutions just around the corner, it’s not too soon to consider getting 2016 off to a great start with health and happiness.