The holiday season is upon us, which means that lots of food, booze and sweets are at every turn. At this time of year a lot of keen dieters are panicking about how they will get through the next 6 weeks without completely falling off the wagon, or the regular person is wondering if this years holiday season will result in 10lbs added, or even more!?
However, I take a little different stance on the holidays. Maybe it's because I have been eating so well, for so long, or maybe it's because I realized some truths a long time ago. Today I wanted to talk about a few of those, and how you can get through the holidays guilt free:
No one ever lost their health/screwed up their diet from a single meal or day.
So many people are panicking about derailing their "hard work" and ruining their progress by pigging out on Thanksgiving, but it really doesn't work like that. One day has never, and will never be the reason you look/feel and perform the way you do. These manifestations are made over weeks, months and years. Consitency is key. That is why the best "diet" is the one that you can stick to. So, before you start freaking out about Thanksgiving dinner ruining everything you have worked so hard for, STOP. It won't. It is just one day, and you can choose exactly how you want to spend that day. Regardless of how "poor" your choices are, The day after is still the day after, and you can get back on that horse and get back into your routine.
JUST CHOOSE - Indulge as you wish. No judgement, no failures, just choice.
Try eliminating the idea of good and bad foods, and replace it with the idea of good, and not so good choices. This way, you make everything easier. You are choosing which way you want to go. You are mindful of that, and when you CHOOSE, you are going to be completely fine with the outcome. If you happen to make some not so good choices, it is fine because you chose to do so. You chose to indulge and enjoy, and you should do that if that is what you want to do. See - it's easy!
Who are you cheating on, anyway?
One of my biggest pet-peeves is when people say they're going to have a 'cheat day'.
You cannot cheat on a diet - cheating implies doing something to win, or stack the odds in your favor. How is choosing to stuff your face with junk “cheating”?
It isn't gaining you any leg-up, or advantage! So drop that word. "cheat days" are dumb, albeit trendy, and pretty useless if you want to get a good relationship with food and yourself. Indulge if you want to, don’t feel guilty about it, just be happy with your CHOICE. You’re not cheating on your diet or yourself, you’re just making choices.
Can you out-Turkey Trot the Damage?
Turkey Trotting a 5k doesn’t “make up” for the "damage" you’re going to do, or have done. Exercise is exercise, diet is diet. The two rarely interplay. It doesn’t work like that. So if you choose to indulge, just do so. No amount of exercise in the morning, or the following day will “offset” you being “bad” - all of these beliefs are poisonous. They are not part of a healthy relationship with food, your body, or exercise. So turn that in. The holidays are meat to be enjoyed - whatever that means for you. Thinking that you can run an extra 5k the week of thanksgiving, or do 5 Orange Theory classes that week, to give you a 'free-pass' on downing 14 cookies, is dumb :)
If you usually work out, then, go for it. But don’t think that “going extra hard” or throwing in a “punishment” work out is doing you any favors, as it pertains to food choices - it DOESN’T work like that. Never has, never will.
The BIG Question - What do the Holidays mean for you?
Thanksgiving, Christmas, the holidays is about being with those you love and celebrating what you have. A feast is just a part of that celebration. This doesn't have to mean bad food, if that is not what YOU are grateful for.
Bad food is not a “celebration”.
I like to practice being grateful that I can make good choices, celebrating the fact that I feel like a god-damn savage because I only put the best food in my body, and taking pride in the fact that I choose to look after the most important thing I have - My body.
So for me? I will turn down the sugar, the pies and the baked goods. Because FOR ME, bad food is not a celebration. However, that is me, if you want to enjoy indulgence then you absolutley should. And you should NOT feel guilty about it. Just return to your regular routine thereafter and get on with your life.
However, I also think it needs to be said that - Don’t EVER feel guilty or apologize for your food choices. You deserve to feel good, and if anyone feels compelled to pressure you to eat foods that don't make you feel good, that is about them, not about you. You just keep on doing you, feeling all fabulous n shit! ;)
If you want to kick start your health journey after Thanksgiving then check out the 21 Day Holiday transformation challenge I am hosting. It is going to be awesome. Interested? Just click here and follow the instructions :)
Enjoy the holidays friends,
Yours in health,
Ste