Healthfully Thriving Through the Holidays
These are my dad’s famous Honey Horns and they just might be my favorite food of all time.
Oh, the holidays. ‘Tis the season to fall off the wagon, slip into old habits, overeat, and gain all the weight back we worked so hard to lose. Or is it? Last year I started my health journey right before the holidays, and come December 31st, I had lost 25 pounds.
But, I get it. If you’ve been working hard on your health journey, the holidays can be a source of anxiety. It’s temptation central with ALL👏🏼THE👏🏼FOODS - like Dad’s elaborate spread of pies, that delicious dessert my aunt always makes because she knows it’s my favorite, and don’t even get me started with Grandma’s sweet rolls. How on earth are we supposed to navigate all that while still staying on track with our goals?!
First, let’s decide what we want the holidays to be about. Yes, I think most of us can agree that they are about family, gratitude, traditions, time together and all that jazz. But what else do you want it to be about for you and your health journey? We can continue allowing it to be a season of stress and anxiety from one year to the next, or we can decide to find a way to make it about something else. Maybe for you that looks like not only finding gratitude for your family, but also for yourself. Maybe it looks like continuing old traditions, but also starting new ones that are a part of your new lifestyle. Maybe it’s an annual Turkey trot with your best friend, or Thanksgiving morning yoga spending time being present in your body. Celebrating the holidays doesn’t have to mean throwing away your healthy habits. There are more loving ways to honor yourself this season than self-sabotaging yourself in the name of “tradition.”
Apple picking with our niece, my new favorite fall tradition!
Okay, Kiah, but back to the pie. How do I enjoy the holidays without overeating my way right out of the pants I just finally fit into? I absolutely love the holidays, and I refuse to let them be ruined by having the victim mentality of being at the whim of whatever the day may bring. So, I found a way to approach them that allows me to cherish the sweet moments with my family, enjoy the delicious foods of the season, and feel confident that I’m not sacrificing my healthy habits in the process. Here are my tips for healthfully thriving through the holidays:
Tip #1: Make a plan.
Yep! Even if you don’t know what foods are going to be served, decide how you want to show up. Maybe you’ll say yes to dessert, but pass on the appetizers. Maybe you’ll say yes to dinner rolls, but pass on the mashed potatoes. Maybe you’ll say yes to EVERYTHING, but only a bite or two. Heck, maybe you’ll say yes to everything with no limitations at all. Make your choice ahead of time and find peace with it in your mind and your body so you can show up ready to enjoy the holidays without getting caught up in your own internal debate on what you “should” be doing the day of.
PRO TIP: Snag my free weekly plan to write it down beforehand!
Tip #2: Slow down and taste each bite.
Holiday feasting is not a race. The only prize you get for being first to gorge yourself with all the foods is a spot on the couch next to your snoring uncle, holding your overstuffed tummy with belly-aching regret. Slow it down. Savor the flavor and find gratitude for every delicious bite that earns its way into your body.
Tip #3: Listen to your body, and stop when you are satisfied.
This is the tough one. But it’s the holidays... but it tastes so good… but it will hurt their feelings if I don’t eat their food… but… What’s more important to you: being able to enjoy the foods you love in a way that supports your healthy lifestyle, or the instant gratification of over-indulging? Don’t let the food pushers in the family pressure you into eating anything you don’t want to. I promise you your aunt won’t be offended if you turn down her fruit cake. And if she is, that’s on her, not you. Cut the drama, stick to your plan, and remember what you want the holidays to be about.
Tip #4: Take ownership of your decisions.
The food hasn’t grown eyes and isn’t staring at you demanding to be eaten. You aren’t obligated to eat a certain amount or restrict yourself to a certain amount. You are a grown-ass adult perfectly capable of making decisions for yourself. So let’s decide up front to own those decisions. Do you intend to stay on plan and not eat sweets? Great. Do you plan to allow yourself the holiday to eat ALL the sweets? Great. No matter what you decide, make sure to own it instead of waking up the day after and getting caught up in a storm of your own self-shame. Shame is in no way helpful before or after the holidays. Beyond your physical health, let’s remember that mental health is just as, if not more, important. Even if the holidays didn’t go the way you wanted them to, remember that tomorrow is a new day. Own your decisions, brush yourself off, forgive yourself, and decide how you want to show up in the next moment.
Cooking with my dad are some of my fondest memories from my childhood.
I love seeing the tradition live on as he teaches my nieces how to cook, too!
One last thing…
Let’s stop saying the holidays are hard. Stop giving power to the belief that it has to be complicated, that you’ll be forced to flex all your willpower muscles, or that you have to go into it already expecting to fail. Instead, let’s decide that we know how to make a decision on what foods enter our mouths and drop the rest of the drama around it we unnecessarily create.
If you keep telling yourself the holidays will be hard and stressful, odds are they will be. If you tell yourself instead the holidays are a time to enjoy the company of your loved ones while managing your healthy habits, then they will be.
This Thanksgiving, I plan to start my day with intention just like I start every other day of the year. I will grab my cup of coffee, snuggle up on the couch, and write down the ten things I am most thankful for. I will make my plan for the day and go out on a quick morning walk to get some fresh air and focus myself on what truly matters. This day, this breath, this body, food in the fridge, family, time together - it is ALL a gift. Don’t let the stress of the holidays cloud your ability to see that.
Oh, the holidays. ‘Tis the season to find gratitude, savor the flavors of tradition, cherish memories with loved ones, and continue practicing our healthy lifestyle in our mind, our body, and our soul.
