With the holiday season in full swing, it also means lots of social events and different foods available.
Maybe the holidays can be a challenging time when you’re trying to work on your relationship with food and have a more balanced lifestyle?
I get it! Food guilt and stress around eating is an even bigger struggle this time of year if you don’t know what balance really looks like.
I always feel SO grateful this time of year for the healthy relationship I have with food and balance. Because it used to be so all-consuming for me that it was hard to feel happy & present this time of year.
As someone who has been there before, I want to share some of my best tips with you, to help you reduce food guilt and practice balance during this time of year.
1. Follow the 80:20 rule 🍒
The 80:20 rule means 80% of foods in your diet are nutritious and the other 20% are foods you enjoy that are higher in salt, sugar and saturated fat. Following this rule daily in general will help make your diet more balanced and sustainable.
So eat that slice of cake, go to your work’s holiday party and have some drinks, enjoy the yummy food. Creating space for these types of meals and treats won’t affect your progress one bit. In fact, it can only HELP.
2. Don’t treat this time of year completely different from other times of the year 🌞
Even though the holidays are definitely a time to indulge in different foods and relax more, overdoing it can leave you feeling not great and make it harder to get back on track with your health goals. It can help to stay consistent with your usual habits, such as drinking enough water and having a nutritious breakfast every day.
Weight loss happens when you are consistent with your healthy habits year round. And consistency is possible when you create space and wiggle room for LIFE.
3. Stay mindful and listen to hunger and fullness cues 🙉
Eating mindfully will make you enjoy the food more as well as pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues to prevent overeating to the point of discomfort.
This is a great tool that you can use wherever, whenever!
4. Remove all or nothing 🌈
Ditch the all or nothing mindset. It’s not serving you. Your progress is not ruined just because you had a Christmas cookie or a night out with friends enjoying a few drinks. Don’t throw in the towel when there is simply no reason to!
There is wiggle room to enjoy the things you love, and the things that bring us together over the holidays. Go through the season with your normal healthy habits and all will be well.
5. Practice compassionate curiosity to challenge negative self talk 🌻
Practicing compassionate curiosity can allow us to break the guilt cycle. Instead of negative self-talk, when you find yourself in a situation where things could have gone one way, but unfortunately went in another, pause and reflect.
Ask yourself without judgement “Why did this happen?”, “Was it even in my control?”, “If possible, how might I do things differently next time to prevent this same situation from happening again?”.
You don’t have to feel burdened by what balance and health looks like this time of year.
My 1:1 coaching programs will teach you exactly what balance looks like in order to live life, but also enjoy life.
