How To Handle The Holidays Approaching!
Does the holiday season stress you out? There’s naturally more get togethers which mean more food, relaxation, but also a lot of stress! I’ll be providing some tips to make you feel more confident in your health and fitness this holiday season.
Here’s the thing, my method here at Sustained In The Membrain is teaching sustainable health. With it, comes behavioral changes! Your relationship with food is the most important component because it’s the heart of everything within your lifestyle. What does this mean around the holiday season though? Honestly, nothing you’ve learned from me should change! Sustainable goes for the holidays, travel, everyday life, etc.
It means enjoying life. Enjoying your time with family and friends. Enjoying delicious food! Life is way too short to be stressing about food; which is literal energy for our bodies and joy for our souls! At the same token, it’s not throwing in the towel saying “I’ll just eat like complete garbage for the next 3 months!” It’s taking what you’ve learned about nutrition and implementing it as often as you can. It’s learning and listening to your bodies hunger and fullness cues regardless of the holidays.
Tips for you:
Eat consistently throughout the day even on Thanksgiving, Christmas, celebratory events, etc. It’s just another day and “saving the calories for later” will just backfire. You’ll overeat and probably feel sick. This cycle typically repeats 🤷🏼♀️
Listen to your hunger and fullness cues. Eat and chew your food slowly, enjoy it, but once you’re comfortably full stop consuming. Likely there will be more tomorrow and more holidays in the future. If you do eat past comfortable fullness, remind yourself how that makes you feel physically and simply move forward. (Usually sluggish and sick🤢).
Don’t restrict between holidays. There’s no need to go on a stupid diet or overly restrict between Thanksgiving and Christmas because you were literally human for a couple days. “Diets” don’t work now(meaning they backfire, don’t teach you anything long term & aren’t good for your mental health) and they won’t work between holidays!
Balance your meals when you can and stay hydrated. Eat balanced meals full of protein, carbs, and fat while also receiving micronutrients with each meal. Fav micro tip: Add a fruit at breakfast, add a vegetable to lunch and dinner. Also drink at least 2 liters of water daily(or as much as it takes to make you urinate clear).
Don’t feel guilty! Obviously this is easier said than done but I promise practicing will make progress. Food is not something to feel guilty about or any have negative emotions surrounding. Food isn’t good or bad! If you ate too much, learn from it! Remember it for the next time you’re tuning into your body while checking in with your fullness. We are human and sometimes we do overeat, but continue the days following as normally as possible. Don’t hold yourself to such an unrealistic standard of trying to eat perfectly!
Lastly, move your body especially after a larger meal. Did you know that a brief walk after meals can manage your blood sugars, aid in digestion, help with mental clarity etc. Also try to keep a consistent exercise schedule. This can be anywhere from 3-5 days weekly. Whatever it is and wherever you are at in your journey keep moving forward! You got this through the holiday season! 👏🏼
Stay sustained out there!💪🏼
