So you’ve been crushing it all year long with your workouts, nutrition, and habits… but now holiday season is upon us. Are you feeling a bit stressed?
You don’t have to deprive yourself of good food or good times! Holidays are meant to be a celebration of life, so instead of cutting yourself off, let’s talk about how you can partake mindfully AND stay on track.
Transcript:
Dani:
Hey everybody. Welcome back to the channel. My name is Dani Taylor, co owner of Vegan Proteins Online Coaching, and today we’re going to be talking about how to not let holiday festivities derail your goals. Forming habits is really challenging. It can take a long time to get your body and mind to a healthy place where the habits that you’re trying to create come easily.
And just when you feel like you have it down, you hit the holidays. All of the sudden, there’s temptations everywhere. Pies, cookies, cakes, holiday parties Almost every week it’s dark at 4pm and it’s getting colder every day. Sitting on the couch in front of the TV probably sounds like a perfect escape. And thanks to all the stress of the holiday season, while dealing with the joy of family gatherings, vegetating on the couch might be all you feel like you’re capable of doing.
Sound familiar? I know that’s how I often feel in the winter, but the holidays don’t have to derail you from a healthy routine and today we’re going to about how you can enjoy the festivities to the fullest while still making progress towards your goals. Before I dive into it, head down to the comment section and let me know a strategy that you use during the holiday season to keep yourself on track.
I love when you guys turn these comment sections into a series of helpful tips and tricks for each other, so let us know. Alright, let’s get into it. One effective strategy is to actively look for opportunities to move throughout your day. This doesn’t necessarily mean structured workouts, although it can be structured workouts. It’s more about integrating movement into your daily routine.
So for example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further away from the stores than you normally do. If you’re working at home like I do, set reminders to stand and stretch every hour and try to grab a quick walk in the middle of the day while the sun is shining. If you can turn mundane tasks like cleaning into a little mini workout by deliberately adding extra steps or movements, that’s great.
Try to embrace the winter weather as best you can by trying out seasonal activities like ice skating, snow, snowshoeing, or simply just shoveling. These things not only burn calories, but they also boost your mood and energy levels. So remember, every bit of movement counts and these small actions really do add up to significant health benefits during the holiday season.
Social gatherings and parties are everywhere and they’re tempting us with delicious but usually very calorie dense foods. A smart strategy to navigate this is to toe the line of avoiding going to these events hungry while also eating intelligently earlier in the day. So try to start your day with a balanced breakfast that’s rich in fiber and protein.
This sets a healthy tone for the day and it keeps you satiated for the first part of the day, but throughout the rest of the day, try to opt for more nutrient dense meals and snacks, particularly focusing on protein and veggies. This approach not only keeps your energy level steady, but it also reduces the likelihood of over indulging at the party.
So before you head out, you might want to think about maybe having a small snack like an apple and some vegan jerky. So this can make it so you don’t show up to the party starving. And it will give you better control over your food choices, allowing you to enjoy those treats mindfully without overeating. So try to remember that the holiday season is about balance and enjoyment, not deprivation.
The key is not strict restriction, but rather picking your indulgences mindfully and enjoying the hell out of them. The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, often centered around special foods that are probably not part of your everyday diet. So instead of trying to avoid these treats entirely, which is a terrible idea, allow yourself to enjoy them in moderation.
If you’re curious what moderation actually means, I have a video about that. It’s actually one of my favorites and I’ll link it somewhere here. But be selective and choose the items that you truly love or are unique to the season. So for example, consider passing on the store bought chips and salsa, but 100% trying the special vegan cookies that your grandmother made for you.
But before you start to eat your special treats, take a moment to appreciate the appearance, the smell, and the effort that went into making this food. And then while you eat it, try to do so slowly and enjoy each bite of pleasure that it brings. This approach not only enhances your enjoyment, but also helps prevent overeating. Because you’re eating slowly and also because you’re completely paying attention to what you’re eating, you might realize that you’re satisfied
sooner. How many times have you sat down on the couch with a bag of chips at night and realized 20 minutes later that you’ve eaten the whole thing and barely noticed? Remember, indulgence doesn’t mean overindulgence. By being mindful about your choices and fully immersing yourself in the experience, you can enjoy your favorite holiday treats without guilt and still stay in line with your health goals.
Games My favorite Bringing an activity to a holiday Party can be a fun way to shift the focus solely from food and drink, but to rather sharing experiences and engagement, consider bringing a board game, a deck of cards, or even a trivia game that everybody can participate in. These activities foster interaction and laughter, creating memorable moments that go beyond just eating and drinking.
For a more active option, suggest a group game like charades or karaoke or a beat saver competition, which I can personally vouch for that last one. We bring it to stuff all the time and I’ve never seen anyone of any age not at least kind of enjoy it. These activities not only get people moving, but also create a lively and inclusive atmosphere.
If the gathering is more intimate, you could propose a craft activity like ornament making or wrapping presents, which can be especially enjoyable and engaging. And of course you can always suggest the family after dinner walk, even in New England and sometimes in 20 degrees. That’s a tradition that we have in our house. By trying to introduce an element of play or creativity, you contribute to the party in a unique way, making the event about shared experiences and
camaraderie rather than just food and drink. Let’s talk about booze Navigating holiday parties while trying to consume alcohol sparingly can be a challenge for some, but one effective strategy is to fake a cocktail. So this approach allows you to partake in the social aspect of drinking without actually indulging in alcohol. Start by choosing a non alcoholic base like soda water, tonic or non alcoholic beer.
I’m heavily into the Athletic Brew Company Non Alcoholic Beer right now. Beer is my favorite and these are the best non alcoholic beers I’ve ever had. So from there add a splash of juice for flavor. Garnish with a slice of lime, lemon or a sprig of mint to give the appearance of a traditional cocktail. This way you can comfortably hold a drink in your hand, fitting in with the party atmosphere while controlling your alcohol intake.
Of course, you never need to justify why you’re not drinking to anyone anywhere, but I know many people feel uncomfortable in a room full of people who are drinking when they are not, so this is just a suggestion for them. When you do choose to drink actual alcohol, do so intelligently. Go for a single favorite drink of yours and sip it slowly.
By alternating your alcoholic drink with your fake drink or water, you can still enjoy the festivities, stay hydrated, hang with your friends and avoid the excess calories and negative effects of consuming too much alcohol. How many people have torpedoed their career at the corporate Christmas party? Too many. Let’s talk about the scale Scale Talk the holidays often bring with them indulgent meals and a change to your routine, which can impact our weight.
However, it’s important to remember that being truly fit is about long term habits, not short term fluctuations. Weighing yourself the day after a holiday feast is misleading and disheartening as our bodies naturally fluctuate in weight due to factors like water retention, especially after a high sodium meal, glycogen, or even just the sheer volume of food still in your digestive tract.
Instead of stepping on the scale and potentially facing unnecessary guilt, give it a few days and let it pass. We all often feel a little too full or bloated after a holiday. That’s not fat gain. In fact, the average weight gain of an American from the end of November to January 1st is 0.7 pounds. It’s gonna pass. Acknowledged celebrations are a part of life and occasional indulgences are completely normal.
Rather than feel guil, appreciate the joy and social connections these moments hopefully bring. Get back to your regular balanced eating habits and exercise routine without punishing yourself. This approach promotes a healthy relationship with food and your body. Remember, one day of indulgence doesn’t define your health journey any more than one workout makes you the picture of fitness.
It’s the consistent choices that you make over time that truly matter. Alright everybody, thank you so much for tuning into another video. As always, if you’re looking for help on your vegan fitness journey and you want to get a jump on the new year, click the link in the description box below to set up a chat to talk about potentially becoming a 2024 client. We’ve helped over 2,500 vegan athletes since 2008 and we would love to help you reach your goals as well.
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