In my last post, I provided 4 fantastic tips to prepare yourself for the holiday season. If you missed it, check it out here. This time, lets talk about how to keep yourself going as the holiday season continues on. While preparing is very important, there are things you can be doing to keep yourself on track as the weeks continue on and temptations surround - treats that beckon or a cozy couch that suggests you not work out today. When you feel the pull of the holiday coming on strong, try these key tactics:
1. Conduct a "treat clean-up" every few days
I find that somehow more and more treats appear in my kitchen as the season continues. Whether it is leftovers from a family party, a well-meaning neighbor sharing joy through food or my own purchases/creations, it seems that I am surrounded by treats! To better control how much is at arm's reach, I do a treat assessment every few days or so. Look around your kitchen and in your fridge to check what is available to you/your family. If I think it's getting a little of hand, I'll do one of the following: throw the food out (very rare, actually), freeze what can be frozen (very common) or give to my husband to take to his coworkers (also pretty common). I like to put treats in our deep freeze in the basement, so it requires even more effort for me to get at it. This isn't done in an effort to restrict or take away all treats, (because I obviously know where they are) but simply to keep aware of how much is easily available. You simply want more healthy options than treats at easy reach in the kitchen when snack time rolls around (for you and your loved ones). So, just keep tabs on this, and I promise it will make choosing healthy so much easier.
The approach of the holidays can be quite stressful. This stress may come from the need to decorate, shop or see certain family members. However, if this stress comes from being surrounded by holiday FOOD, take heart and use these tips to mentally prepare yourself for the next 7 weeks of holiday eating.
1. Remember that food is just food
Food has no power to make you happy, sad or any other emotion. Food is just food. Food can only nourish our bodies. Remembering this may help you at those times of high stress when you are looking for something to relieve your emotions. Those emotions, and the reason for them, will still exist after eating. So, use eating for what is meant to be used; don't let your emotions trick you into using it for anything else.
