6 HOLIDAY SURVIVAL STRATEGIES

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Hello Holiday Party People!

Now, as much as I love this time of the year, we are faced with huge obstacles.  Comfort food, sugary drink concoctions, cookie baking parties (I already had to talk two clients down off the cookie dough ledge!), high-glycemic white foods, and of course, the “food pusher” who brings it all to you.  You know who I’m talking about.  That person who shoves the dessert plate in your face and won’t leave until you’ve tried at least 3 different varieties of the same sugary concoction.

Yikes! Don’t let this be you!

Since we are sitting right smack in the middle of the holiday season, I thought I’d share a few ideas with you for 6 Holiday Strategies you can implement right now to make sure you have the tools necessary to stay on track this holiday season despite the parties, food, shopping, and stress.  So kick back, relax, and take a few moments for yourself!

  • If you’re going to drink… Look, you know I’m all about helping you reach your health, fitness, and weight loss goals.  So my normal answer to this would be “Just Say No!”  But alas, it’s the holidays and what you need is a survival guide…not perfection.  So if you are going to drink, stay away from creamy and sugary drinks.  Your best option is red wine.  Your next best option is a high end white alcohol, like Grey Goose.  Stick with 1 (no more than 2) glasses, and drink 1-2 glasses of water for each glass of alcohol.
  • Go Nuts!  Go Bananas! Keeping some nuts and a piece of fruit in your purse/brief case/car, could save you from actually going bananas and overdoing it at your next meal.  Think about it.  You’re out and about shopping all day long, then it’s off to pick up the kids, run another errand, and then the next thing you know you’re STARVING.  You’re going to do 1 of 2 things here.  1:  You’ll go for the quick fix (aka:  Starbucks and pastry) to tie you over before dinner, or 2: you’ll try to “be strong” and SKIP your snack, only to find yourself famished by dinner and then eating everything in site.  Both of these scenarios could be totally eliminated if you simply PLAN AHEAD and pack an apple and some almonds.  There it is.  Done.  And now you can get on with your afternoon.
  • Set your goals right now and focus! Look. we all know that when you have clear and precise goals in mind, then all the other stuff just goes away.  What do you want for yourself this holiday season?  Is it to look smashing at that special party, or actually make it through the season without feeling like you’re in a food coma the entire month?  Imagine NOT waiting until January 1st to get focused.
  • 3 Polite Bites might be the answer. I was just in Orlando for a business meeting with other amazing fitness business owners all over the country and my tell-it-like-it-is super-coaches.  We all went to dinner and at the end our server brought out these great little desserts.  There were at least 12 of them, but all were in very small little shot glasses, and all equaling about “3 polite bites”.  So I had some.  I enjoyed the evening, the meal, the company, and even the dessert without going overboard.  Another scenario:  When Aunt Ester is pushing the fruit log down your throat because it seems to make her happy, simply give it “3 polite bites” and be on your way.  Aunt Ester is happy and you didn’t blow it on a fruit log.
  • Pay attention to how hungry or not hungry you are. This might the trick of the century.  I actually wrote a blog about this very important concept this past summer after going back home for a visit and finding myself at two different family reunions in a 36 hour period.  But here’s the gist, most of us don’t pay attention to the very basic instinct inside of us that tells us when we are hungry and then when we are full.  Often times we eat when we are not hungry, over eat past satiation, and then 30 minutes later when we’re rolling away from the table, we wonder why we just didn’t put the fork down sooner!  Start to measure yourself on a scale of 1-10.  5 means you’re neither hungry nor full.  4,3,2 means you are becoming more and more hungry (hint:  try to NOT get below a 3 or 2, which can lead to eating the entire fridge!).  And even more importantly, notice if you are a 6, 7, or 8.  If you’ve hit these numbers of “fullness” then don’t eat!  Just wait until you get hungry again.  More details can be found here.
  • Make it a priority to move your body this holiday season…  Having a plan to move your body most days–no matter what you choose to do–will have a profound impact not only on maintaining your weight this time of the year, but also help to increase your energy and decrease anxiety and stress.  As much fun as this time of the year can be, it can also bring a crazy schedule and loads of stress.  Making movement a priority will give you a sense of peace and contentment as you move through the holiday season. 

My gift to you:  Your very own downloadable guide is here!

In the comments below the video, let me know some of your own strategies that work for you or what success you’ve had using the strategies I’ve outlined.

Thank you, as always, for reading and watching!

Much Love,

Audra