Enjoy the holidays without losing your progress!
Christmas comes around once a year. Christmas is a time to gather with loved ones, to think of others and not ourselves. It is a joyous holiday that is filled with happiness and love. For me, it is the most magical time of the year and it’s my favourite holiday to celebrate.
Christmas holidays takes up approx 1.5% of the year. It is impossible to ruin the progress you put in the other 98% of the year with a few holiday meals and days spent with loved ones.
This holiday season ditch the all or nothing mentality. You don’t need to skip out on the yummy family dinners because it simply won’t fit your macros. You don’t need to take time away from quality time with loved ones on Christmas day to get a workout in.
In 10 years from now are you going to look back on this holiday season and remember how your body looked, if you felt bloated after a holiday meal? No. You will remember the memories made with your loved ones.
Especially now in this uncertain world we need quality time with the ones we love most. Don’t let diet culture ruin your Christmas by thinking you need to make every dish in a healthier alternative way. Don’t think you need to do a detox after the holidays (detox’s are only a very expensive laxative). Enjoy this holiday season guilt free, and to get you through it, here are a few tips!
Don’t restrict yourself
Don’t pass up your favourite dish just because it isn’t healthy. Don’t count macros or even think about the nutritional continent of the food. Holiday meals are meant to be delicious, filled with good company. If you restrict yourself from the food you truly want to eat, it will most likely lead to a binge later on. That binge will have more harm on you physically and mentally than simply allowing yourself to enjoy one meal in the first place.
Honour your hunger cues
At holiday meals, eat to satiety. Don’t be afraid of seconds if you truly are still hungry. But if you are stuffed to the brim and feel like you need to have seconds because you won’t be able to eat this good food again – that is the time to stop yourself. The food will be there when you have more room to it. Over eating will only make you feel bleh and most likely you will punish yourself mentally for doing so later. Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full. It seems like such a simple concept, yet many of us who have a damaged relationship with food struggle so immensely with it.
Drink lots of water
We should always be drinking lots of water. But especially after big meals, and when we are feeling bloated. It will help your digestion, and if you have a few too many drinks with Christmas dinner it will also help with that hangover.
Plan your workouts ahead of time
Personally I feel my best when I am active on a consistent basis. Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you have to throw your entire workout routine off, simply just shift your workout days. For example, I usually take my rest day on Sunday, but instead I am going to work out this Sunday so I can take my rest day on Christmas day.
If you still want to squeeze a workout in on Christmas day bc its truly what makes you feel your best, then go for it! Just don’t feel forced to work out when you truly just want to have a lazy day with your loved ones.
Ditch the guilt
What good does feeling guilty about what you ate or missing a workout do? Absolutely nothing. It only makes you feel worse, and further enforces in your brain that eating what you want and skipping a workout is a demonized thing to (which it is not).
Allow yourself to enjoy this holiday season guilt free. Tracking macros, getting all your workouts in will be there once the holidays are over.
I’m wishing you all a wonderful holiday season. I hope each of you are surrounded by your loved ones and truly enjoy your time together. I remember how daunting and miserable the holidays were when I was suffering from my eating disorder. So if you are struggling this holiday season, feeling isolated or alone, please reach out to me. Sometimes it’s nice to talk to someone who understands your thought patterns, and has been in the same place as you. I am always here, and would love to help you in any way I can.
Happy holidays!
xoxo
