Enjoying the Holidays
It’s November and the holidays are approaching. Calendars will soon be filled with social events celebrated with friends and family. This year, go into the holidays with a new mindset! Rather than skipping over the holiday joy, with fear and stress about delicious foods, focus on the fellowship between friends and family. Follow the guide below and enjoy the holiday festivities!
1. Define what holiday success will look like for you. Where are you in your nutrition and fitness journey? If healthy living is new to you, consider giving yourself grace and allow yourself to have a treat or two. Do not expect yourself to stray away from the holiday food but rather set boundaries. If you are training for a competition, or need to make weight for a certain event, switch your focus from holiday food, to making memories with loved ones.
2. Prioritize this holiday season. Pull up your calendar and schedule in all social engagements. Pick the ones where you will attend, and then plan nutrition accordingly. Prioritize choosing foods to indulge in you typically do not eat and are special to the holidays. For example, did Grandma make her famous pumpkin pie? Well, enjoy that slice of pie! You get to enjoy it one time a year. But if Cousin Sally brought store-bought chocolate chip cookies, skip them. You can always pick them up at the store, in the later winter months.
3. Optimize and take advantage of the days that you do not have holiday festivities and plan your meals and snacks, following the balanced plate method. Eat three meals a day that include ½ the plate veggies and fruit, ¼ the plate lean protein, ¼ the plate complex carbs, and add a small number of healthy fats. Add 1-2 healthy snacks that are high in protein and sneak in a workout!
4. Find accountability! Ask a friend, mentor, partner, or coach about your goals this holiday season. Not only will this help you stick to your goal, talking about goals makes it even more real and you could be more willing to following through.
5. BELIEVE IN YOU and BE KIND to YOURSELF! We are human and are not perfect. Balance and flexibility are necessary when living a happy, healthy, and balanced lifestyle. When overindulging happens, notice it and get back on track for the next meal with a balanced meal that includes protein, complex carbs, healthy fats, and a lot of veggies.
Need extra accountability this holiday season? Email Mary, at MaryTeunisnutrition@gmail.com and set up a consultation today!