What If You Started Now?

The last 3 months of the year are rough...I get it! Between pumpkin spice this, apple pie that, tailgating, football watching, Halloween candy eating, Thanksgiving food scarfing, party food snacking, Christmas cookie baking, holiday dinner devouring, New Year's Eve imbibing....there are a lot of delicious food and drinks available at all times in all places. It is in your face in the stores, at work, home, restaurants, parties and more! 

A lot of people go into this last quarter of the year saying..."Well, there is so much going on these next few months that between all of the food, cold weather, stress and travel, I will just let myself go and start over again on January 1"...........BUT what if you DIDN'T? What if, instead of "letting yourself go" for an entire QUARTER OF THE YEAR, you decided to make healthy choices, continue or start working out and even eat some of your favorite holiday treats in moderation? What if, by the time January 1st came around, you were already 3 MONTHS AHEAD of where you would have been if you had decided to "let yourself go"? 

Did you know it takes most people 5 months to work off what they gained over the last quarter of the year? When January comes around and if your resolution is to lose weight, you are basically just trying to take off what you just put on. Again, what if you did not put on any weight, and instead by January, you were the same weight or maybe even a few pounds less than you weigh today? What if you didn't indulge over the next 3 months so you didn't have to restrict yourself come January? January doesn't have to be a sad, hard, food eliminating, extreme workout doing, alcohol banning month. It can be...just another month! 

How do you do this, you ask? You don't need to diet. You don't need to avoid the fun holiday foods. You don't need to workout for hours. You just need a plan.

1. Stay (or get more) active. Figure out what routine works best for you. Just keep moving and don't give up. If you are traveling or have family coming to town, don't use that as an excuse. If you can't get them involved too, then make sure to take some time for yourself and get your workout in. Aim for 30 minutes of activity at least 5 days a week. Going on 2 - 15 minute walks a day is still great activity! 
2. Plan your meals and snacks for the week ahead. Do the best you can, it doesn't have to be perfect. If anything, aim to eat at least a healthy and balanced breakfast and lunch each day. Pick your favorite snacks to always have on hand that you also won't overindulge in. Eat those instead of the chips, candy and cookies that are brought to your office or home. Going out to dinner or attending a party? Plan what you will eat ahead of time, fill your small plate only once and choose a few of your favorite items (as well as some veggies) so you don't feel deprived. 
3. Take a few minutes each day to relax. The holidays can be stressful and stress leads to not getting enough sleep which leads to bad moods, tiredness, and making poor decisions (especially with food and exercise). Your mental health is so important. Listen to your favorite podcast, read a book, take a bath or just sit silently for a few minutes. Take the time to recharge. Also, make sure to get enough sleep each night, too!

You don't need to give up your favorite holiday foods. Just remember, everything in moderation. Try to eat well 80% of the time and indulge a little 20% of the time. That doesn't mean to get crazy and eat everything in sight. It just means, have a small treat each day or enjoy a holiday meal when they come around. Remain in control. Planning ahead will save you. You don't need to be perfect, just don't let yourself go over the next 3 months. Your January 1st self will thank you. 

If you need help navigating through the holidays over the next few months, please contact me for health coaching https://www.elenamccown.com/services.html ! Sometimes you need an accountability partner, someone to help motivate you, give you ideas of what to do at a party or when food is constantly around you, or maybe you just want someone to help plan your weekly menu. That is what I am here for! Just remember, you CAN do this. If you need help along the way, please ask :)