Surviving the Holidays

From the end of October through the first of January is the hardest time of the year to lose weight. Halloween candy, Thanksgiving feasts, and Christmas goodies and parties seem to lurk around every corner!

That Halloween candy just lingers around for weeks and weeks, sitting in bowls on kitchen counters and screaming at us every time we walk by. By the time it's gone, Thanksgiving leftovers are begging to be eaten for days after the holiday feast is over. And the second we make it through Thanksgiving the Christmas parties begin. And when you're not standing in front of a holiday party spread, some sweet neighbor is probably knocking at your door with a plate of some homemade deliciousness that is just too hard to pass up. Even then, it doesn't end at Christmas. We munch on leftovers for a week, finishing them off just in time for one last food-filled holiday bash on New Year's Eve.

In the past I've just given up entirely, indulged through the holiday months, and then tried to undo the damage with the rest of the world by setting a New Year's resolution to lose the weight that I will inevitably fail. Which will make me feel like crap. So I'll go eat something delicious to make myself feel better.

This year I have managed to change this ridiculous pattern of behavior and I've lost over 25 pounds during the seemingly impossible holiday months! Halloween proved challenging, but I survived. Thanksgiving was difficult, but not impossible. And last night I survived my first Christmas party without doing too much damage! So I thought I'd share some tips.

#1: The holidays are not an excuse. I forced myself to face the truth this year: Just because there are holiday parties and everything seems to revolve around food, that doesn't give me any excuses. I still need to eat like a normal person. This means that I don't get to "enjoy the holidays" by eating everything in sight. It means that I eat like a normal person! I eat regular healthy meals every day. That way when the holiday party arrives, I don't have to feel guilty about have one or two little treats. Sure, maybe I'll gain a little the night of the party. But eating normally again the next few days will bring those pounds right back off and then some!

#2: There's gotta be a plan. I can not walk into a room full of delicious, fatty foods and goodies and hold it together. I just can't. So I have to have a plan of action before I show up. Sometimes that means eat a healthy dinner before going and then allow myself a treat or two. Sometimes it's bringing my own healthy options. Whatever it is, I need to make decisions before I show up and my stomach is growling and I can smell all the yumminess and my inner fat girl takes over and eats everything.

#3: Keep the water coming. I take my water bottle with me everywhere I go. I keep it full and I sip on it constantly. It keeps me hydrated. It keeps me from feeling hungry even when I'm not. It keeps me from putting other things in my mouth. I once read that it's really common to mistake hunger for thirst. I find myself feeling "hungry" a lot. But if I drink a glass of water I'm fine. Obviously I wasn't really hungry in the first place. It keeps me from over eating. Water is my favorite.

#4: Nothing is off limits. The truth is, it's the holidays. And the holidays are to be ENJOYED! And part of enjoying the holidays is enjoying the treats. So far I've had cupcakes, chocolates, and hot cocoa. And I plan on having more of my favorites at upcoming events. The key is in moderation. I'm not eating everything at every event or every day. But I'm not going to say no to everything either.

Finding the balance may be difficult. But it's not impossible! There are still skinny people left in the world come January every year! Which means there IS a way to do this without completely sabotaging myself! So here's the a healthy Christmas and a skinny New Year!!