The big holiday season is starting! We just finished Halloween, and Christmas decorations and music are already everywhere. Before we know it all kinds of sugary foods will be everywhere we look. This can be a real challenge for those of us who strive to eat and live healthy. How much self control can we be expected to show when we are bombarded with cookies, eggnog, candy canes, pie… the list goes on!
The better question is, how do we take self control out of the equation? There are many things you can do to set yourself up for success. Here are a few of things I’ve found helpful.
Try to keep your stress level down. It’s no secret stress can guide us towards bad food discussions. I also think we all know that the holidays, while wonderful, are often full of stress. Give yourself permission to take some time for yourself. When things get overwhelming, take a minute or two and take a few deep breaths.
Bring healthy foods to parties. Holiday parties can be a minefield of baked goods and sugary drinks. While it’s not reasonable to avoid going to a party, bringing a veggie platter instead of cookies is a good start. By bringing food you ensure that there will always be a good option.
Make your junk food less accessible. One of the big problems I have is that when I’m looking at cookies, I’m going to eat a cookie…or five. This is often a bigger problem in late November through December because there are cookies everywhere! Now when I have them in the house I keep them on a high shelf or freeze them for later. That way I only get one when I want one, not when I see one.
Indulge occasionally. When we tell ourselves we can never have something again, have you noticed you seem to want it more? And then, if/when you slip up it can start a downward spiral. It’s far better to eat really well 90% of the time and 10% of the time, have what you want. Eat a cookie (can you tell I like cookies?) without any shame and without any guilt. It will not derail all the work you’ve done to get healthy.
This time of year can be a lot of fun. If you find you want or need a little help to get into these healthy habits, gives us a call or set up a free health consultation online! No matter what else you do, enjoy the season!
