The Truth About Staying healthy over the holidays
It’s beginning to look a lot like the most wonderful time of the year again! Yes, it’s the holiday season. As you make your list and check it twice, don’t forget to add the most important thing to the top of it: YOUR HEALTH.
Every year, I hear the same excuses from former athletes who are “not ready” to get started on their post-sports fitness journeys once November hits. They sound a little something like this:
“There’s a lot going on with the holidays - I’ll just sTaRt In ThE nEw YeAr.”
“I dOn’T hAvE tImE to workout this time of year.” Or, my personal favorite:
“I don’t want to miss out on eating my favorite HoLiDaY fOoDs.”
If you’ve ever used those excuses with me, just know this is exactly how I felt.
Wouldn’t you love for their to be a way to get through the holiday season without worrying about gaining weight, feeling stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset, and loving the way that cute new outfit fits during your holiday party?
I’m here to tell you that this is all possible - I see my coaching clients do it every year. The best time to start is now, there is always time for the things you prioritize, and you can still enjoy your favorite holiday treats.
Staying healthy during the holiday season isn’t rocket scientist, and it doesn’t have to be painful. In this blog, I’ll go over some habit changes you can make right now to heal your relationship with food and exercise to uncover a healthier, happier you. Can you think of a better present than that?
Didn’t think so. Here’s what we’ll cover:
Finding your why
Planning ahead for success
Holiday eating tips (Treat yo self)
Handling pressure from family and friends
Creating a realistic routine in the New Year
Know your “why”
The first step in achieving any goal is knowing your “why.” If you’re serious about making healthy changes in your life, getting in shape, and feeling confident in your holiday best, then you will need to have a strong “why.”
This isn’t the reason for the season, but the reason for why you are making these changes. If you want to find out how to stay healthy during the holiday season, you have to have a strong reason behind it. It’s like how the kid in the Polar Express needs to believe for Santa to be real? Your “why,” or your driving force behind your healthy nutrition and fitness choices, needs to be that strong.
When life gets difficult and pulls you in different directions (and it will this time of year) you’ll need your determination and discipline to pull you through. Notice that I didn’t use the word motivation here. So many poeple as me for tips on “how to sTaY mOtIvAtEd” (wow, I am sassy today) when they don’t feel like going to the gym, waking up early, eating healthy, etc. But, they are focusing on the wrong thing. It’s not motivation that will help you do these things when you don’t want to. It’s discipline, which comes from having a strong connection to your “why.”
So if you want to stay consistent with your healthy habits during the holidays, connect with your why beforehand. Is it strong enough? Does it make you emotional? Physically write it down on a piece of paper and stick it in your planner, wallet, or phone case. Carry it with you whever you go so you can pull it out when you need it.
How to plan ahead for Success
“Plan ahead or plan to fail.” I heard this quote a while back and since then it’s stuck with me. Perhaps because I know how true it is… Especially during the holidays! Think about it: If you go into Black Friday shopping without a plan, you might miss big sales or buy the wrong gifts for people.
When we neglect to plan ahead for future obstacles, we become unprepared for when they actually arise. So let’s think about some challenges you might face over the holidays that would make it harder to make healthy choices that support your “why.”
Workouts
The first area that presents a lot of challenges during the holidays is workouts or fitness. If you are traveling or have a very busy schedule, you might not have access to your usual workout equipment or gym. One way to combat this is to be flexible and be able to adapt to the situation and environment you’re in.
What does this look like? Maybe this means packing resistance bands with you since they barely take up any space. Or maybe it means just doing a bodyweight workout that you’ve saved from that Instagram Trainer you follow or on YouTube.
Whenever I’m traveling, I also like to research if my hotel has a gym, or if there are free gyms I can try with a free trial where I’m staying. Some gym chains also allow you to access different locations depending on your membership, so that’s something to look into before you travel for the holidays.
Another option is to go for a run. I’m a firm believer you can never go wrong with a run. Just remember to pack the right shoes!
If you’re strapped for time, remember: A 30-minute workout is better than no workout at all. A 20-minute workout is better than no workout at all. Do I need to keep going here?
Do what you can and appreciate any time you get to (not “have to”) work out!
Nutrition
The next area that presents challenges during the holiday season is nutrition or healthy eating. Healthy eating over the holidays is a subject that seems a little scary. I think some people think that if they don’t think about it, it doesn’t matter. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but what you put into your body always matters. Having a plan makes it easier to navigate holiday parties whether they’re with family, friends, or coworkers.
If you’re going to a Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner, call or text the host ahead of time and ask what they are making. If nothing seems to fit with what you want to eat, you can ask “can I bring this dish for all of the guests to enjoy?” This works especially well with Thanksgiving! If for some weird reason the host says “no,” just pack a little lunchbox for yourself with a lean source of protein, a health carb, and veggies. My go to is usuallly a salad with a service of protein added, or for the holidays you can always use the host’s turkey and pair it with some roasted carrots and a sweet potato.
Going Out To Eat
If you’re going out, you should look up the menu ahead of time so you have some options going into it.
Always remember though: You’re allowed to eat whatever you want at any point. It’s important to have balance and not restrict yourself to the point of deprivation. We will go over this more in the next section, but what it really comes down to is choosing what’s actually worth it to you. What makes the moment and the food you want to treat yourself with so special?
how my clients lose fat while still eating their favorite holiday foods
As a little extra help for this section, I wanted to include a link to my Instagram post that outlines exactly how my clients handle the holidays and nutrition. There’s a lot of good tips in here, so check it out!
Remember: One meal isn’t going to derail all of your health and fitness goals - Do your best to plan ahead and then make the best choices you can make in the moment.
Healthy Tips For Holiday Eating: Treat yo self!
Do you think I’m going to talk about restricting your calories or staying away from sweets in this section? Wrong! This is all about treating yo self, but more importantly: Knowing when and how to treat yourself. I love the holiday season. It’s that time of year when work slows down a bit, I get to spend times with my friends and family more, and reflect over the last year.
This also means that there are a lot of opportunities for yummy food that only comes around once per year. Some of my personal holiday favorites are apple pie, baked ham, and creamy mashed potatoes. I also consider alcohol as a treat/dessert. I never deprive myself of these things, butt hat also means that i don’t “have to have it” every time they’re offered.
Something that I’ve found helpful in deciding when to treat myself is being present in the moment and checking in with myself. I ask myself “is this moment special?"“ and “Do I truly want this right now?” Some special occasions that I know I’d like to treat myself for are Thanksgiving, my office holiday party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
So my question for you is: What’s worth it to you and WHEN is it worth it to you? Also remember: Just because I’m telling you to eat the cannoli, it doesn’t mean eat 10 cannoli’s. Connect with yourself and stop when you’re full.
Pressure from Family & Friends in Social Settings
If you come from a family like mine,then you have really strong personalities around you that aren't afraid to speak their opinion. I also am the oldest grandchild on my mom's side and oldest female grandchild on my dad’s. So growing up, I always felt bombarded with pressure to please everyone and live up to everyone's expectations. Even around food. (If you're Italian then you DEFINITELY know what I mean).
That meant that I would often give in to people when they'd say "oh, c’mon, just eat it", or "are you really going to eat healthy right now?". Or sometimes I'd get the opposite: "Are you really grabbing seconds?" Or, " Didn't you just eat?" or better yet "Why are you eating that right now."
Truthfully, I still get these comments. All the time. From close family members.
The thing that changed for me that allowed me to not act on their spoken opinions was changing my mindset and becoming confident in my own choices. It took maturity and personal growth to do this, but it makes me so much less anxious in social situations such as family gatherings.
What I've come to realize that, and this is my major tip for you, is that what they say is actually a reflection on themselves and what they feel that THEY should be doing. NOT you. It has nothing to do with you. Once you get that engrained in your head, I promise that you will find it easier to stop people pleasing at family gatherings. I know there are a lot of social gatherings this time of year, so please keep this in mind as you navigate them.
You could say a little mantra like “it’s their problem, not mine” before you head into a gathering to help keep yourself centered.
Tips To Get Back Into Routine
So you just got back from traveling for the holiday season and now it’s time to jump back into a routine. This is often hard for many people. I hear people say that once they go off their routines for a few days, or have a weekend of “being bad,” then they just fly off the rails. They get stuck in an all-or-nothing mentality, and let nothing win.
If that’s you, it doesn't have to be that way. First of all, you should never consider a day where you are off of your routine, having fun with family and friends, traveling, and enjoying food as "bad". You're just living. And in life, there are ebbs and flows with our lifestyle, activity level, health, etc. You get the idea.
To get back into a routine where you prioritize your health and fitness goals, though, there are a few things that you can do after a big holiday:
First, before you leave for the weekend or whatever you holiday plans are, get everything ready for when you get back (ie: have your freezer stocked with healthy options, lay out workout clothes, schedule your planner for next week so that you feel ready for when you return).
Another thing you can do is connect back with your why. Remember that note I told you to write in the beginning? Take that out and look at it.
Lastly, have accountability. Find a close friend, family member or a personal trainer/coach to check in with at the beginning of the week or whenever you feel like you are losing momentum.
Why The Holidays Are The Perfect Time To Start a Health Routine
If you can follow these tips throughout the busy holiday season, you can follow a health lifestyle no matter the time of year. That’s why this is the best time to get started on your health and fitness goals.
Getting healthier means enjoying more of these times with friends and family. That’s a big “why” for a lot of people. So find your why, quit it with the workout excuses, and follow these helpful holiday eating tips to starting feeling 100 times better before anyone else even picks their New Year’s Resolution.
Gift Yourself A Coach This Holiday Season
Imagine going into your next family event fully confident in your self and not worrying about what you're going to eat or how you're going to have to burn everything off the next day. Looks nice, doesn’t it?
Having accountability when it comes to your health and fitness goals can make or break whether or not you achieve them. As your coach, I'll guide you through creating a realistic action plan to reach your goals, connect with your why, and fully support you along the way through personalized fitness program and nutrition protocol If you're ready to feel supported and take the next step in getting serious about your health and fitness journey, apply today and I'll reach out within 24 hours with next steps!
