How to stick to your diet during the holidays.
Most people enjoy those times of the year when the holidays come around.
Whether it be watching fireworks, hunting eggs, opening gifts or however it is that you celebrate, its a fun time to break away from your daily routine.
You may feel inclined to take a well deserved break from your diet and fitness as well to enjoy some quality time eating delicious food with your loved ones.
Hold on! Before you dive in to that mountain of dessert, remember all those empty calories are going to comeback to haunt you!
You can still have fun celebrating, you don’t have to be a Grinch this Christmas! Keep in mind that there are ways to stay on track even in the most tempting of times.
Here’s some tips on how to stick with your diet during the holidays.
Eat Slow
You might feel inclined to make your way through your first thanksgiving plate and get quickly back to the table to try a bit of everything. Over eating and stuffing yourself is a easy way to backtrack on your diet.
According to this article by the Huffington post, it takes approximately 20 minutes for your body to register that you are full. By eating too fast you wont give your body enough time to process, and it will be likelier that you consume more than you would have by eating slow.
Eat slow, savor your food, and you will still be able to enjoy the meal in front of you without thinking about the next thing you want to put on your plate.
Just like the festivities themselves, take your time to enjoy every bit.
Use Portion Sizes
When you don’t have the luxury of following your usual diet, sticking to portion sizes is a good way to stay healthy on the fly. In today’s day and the age when the internet is at your fingertips, knowledge of correct portion sizes on most any food is one click away. So look for a nutrition label, and if it doesn’t have one, a quick google search should do the trick.
If all else fails do a judgement call.
The most important thing is to really put a conscious effort towards better health. You need to truly want that lifestyle and not just the results. Making moves on the fly will come much easier once its natural and not forced.
If you need help practicing your portion sizes don’t be afraid to get a little assistance. Try a diet plate to make portioning easier until you the hang of it.
Avoid the sugary drinks
The recommended maximum daily intake of sugar for men and women is 38 and 25 grams respectively (http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/). One 12 ounce can of coke has 39 grams by itself. Sugary drinks may be a fun little compliment to the main meal, but those empty calories are better used else where.
Among other issues, excess sugar that your body doesn’t use can be stored in the body as fat.
There will be plenty of temptations with common holiday drinks such as punch, lemonade, soda, alcohol etc. But try just sticking to water or other low calorie drinks, especially if you plan on eating a little dessert. Take your own large water bottle with you and it will be an easier task.
If all else fails, don’t give up, at least try limiting yourself to one cup, can, bottle or whatever it may be.
Take Something Healthy
If you are attending a pot luck type of event, where everyone is encouraged to bring a dish to share, consider taking something healthy. This gives you, as well as everybody else, something nutritious to eat among a potentially abundant unhealthy options.
It can, but obviously does not have to be something elaborate. For example, a bowl of fruit or trail mix does not require much planning but it does provide a healthy item to snack on. If you need any ideas for healthy snacks, check out our article with some ideas here.
Maybe what you bring will help someone else stick their goals as well!
Don’t let little mistakes ruin your goal
Plenty of people would eat a piece of cake or maybe eat a bit more than they should in general and use an excuse along the lines of “Well, I already messed up. I might as well indulge and get back on track tomorrow.”
If that sounds like you then make sure you make it a goal this time around to be flexible when slip ups happen and keep on chugging along.
Sure, maybe you shouldn’t have had an extra scoop of ice cream, but don’t let that persuade you into taking the night off and grabbing a few brownies and cookies as well. You need to keep your self motivated. If you let the small mishaps derail you from the tracks, maybe you need to take a step back and look at how you need to stay motivated.
How to stick with your diet during the holidays: Conclusion
Don’t let special events stop you from working towards the fitness goals you have set. Don’t use them as an excuse either. Whatever the occasion, there are moves you can make to keep yourself on the right track. Hopefully now you know how to stick with your diet during the holidays.
Happy holidays!
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