The holiday season can be a total stressor for many of us, especially with all the seasonal obligations. We get pulled into many directions with decorating, shopping, and events. This time of year brings many sweets, treats, and parties that make staying on track with our nutrition a challenge. There’s a couple of different mindsets we can take to battle these challenges
First, realize the scale is not dictated by what we do from Thanksgiving to New Years but rather what we do from New Years to Thanksgiving. Allowing yourself to enjoy some of the delicious food and treats in moderation during this season may help you to not over indulge in the long run. For those tracking macros, consider moving to maintenance macros during this time. This will allow you to enjoy the food and give your body a little break from dieting.
Second, realize that there are many days during this short time where we can stay on track with our healthy nutrition habits. Use those days to get back on track so that each week you may only have 1-2 days where you indulge.
Third, control the controllables. Drink plenty of water, half your weight in ounces is highly recommended. Each protein, fruit, and veggies at each meal. Keep up with your daily movement! Don’t feel that you need to “work off” any calories. Just keep to your fitness routine on as many days as you can.
Finally, realize that most of the weight gain on the scale is probably from water retention. Enjoying small portions of those recipes that only come around once a year is part of holiday memories for most of us. But when we consume more carbohydrates our body will hold on to more water than normal. This water weight will gradually come off once we return to our normal caloric intake.
Enjoy your time with friends and family! Don’t let the fluctuations on the scale add to your stress of the season.
