Holiday Fitness Survival
Posted: Monday, November 02, 2009
by Deana Guidi
Free Movement Fitness Inc.
It's two days after Halloween. You probably have plenty of left over candy in your house. Candy apples and popcorn balls are all over the grocery stores, and Thanksgiving is around the corner. The holiday season can be both joyful and terribly stressful particularly for people trying to eat well and stay fit. There can be a lot of pressure to both eat and not eat. Over the years, I have observed people who sail through the holidays without a blip and people who fall into a pit. Here are some of my observations of people who get from October 31 to January 2 without tipping the scale:
- Joe Fit does not accept conventional thought about food and the holidays. He does not believe that he has to eat pie after dinner. He does not believe he has to eat anything to please his wife, mother, or mother-in-law. He enjoys everything he chooses to eat, but he does not eat any particular food simply to follow tradition or please others.
- Joes Fit does not widely vary his exercise or eating habits during the holidays. He eats breakfast and lunch even though he knows he will go to a party at night. He might eat a couple extra bites of meat, have half a beer, and eat a few bites of dessert, but he does not eat too much food he would not normally eat.
- Joe Fit uses his time off of work to be active. He takes his kids sledding. He goes on a ski trip with his buddies. He participates in the company reindeer run/walk. He spends hours on Christmas Eve assembling bikes and toys. If he ate a bit extra, he definitely works off the extra calories. The holidays are as much a time for re-creation with family and friends as it is a time to enjoy food.
- Joes Fit might skip the buffet altogether. He has been there and done that. The buffet is not a big deal. He makes sure he socializes with everyone. He eats at home before or after the party. He wants to feel good tomorrow and does not need a brick of cheese sitting in his stomach at
- Joe Fit sees the big picture. He knows how to have fun without compromising his health. He sees more than food when he thinks about the holidays. It is a time to end the old year on a positive note and plan for the new year. He would rather start the new year refreshed from a holiday break than making up lost ground from too much eating, sitting, and spending.
Early November is a good time to think about how you want to handle the holidays. Food and leisure is a big part of that planning. Like any other area of your life, if you plan for success, you will feel great on January 2. Perhaps your plan is to eat small portions of certain desserts and skip others. Perhaps your plan is to skip dessert altogether and find another way to treat yourself. Maybe you want to schedule a few more hours of exercise. You have plenty of options. Most importantly, think about your thoughts about food and the holidays. What do you believe about food? Does it benefit you to keep that belief, or is it better for you to change it.
Set up a simple plan and follow through. Every time you reach your nutrition and fitness goal, not matter how small it may seem, you build your confidence. It will be easier for you to reach your next goal. Recruit a team. You might have to discuss your plan with your family and friends so they support you rather than pull you away from your goals. Hire a trainer, nutritionist or other professional to guide you and make the journey easier. You can both enjoy the holidays and stay fit. The two belong together.
Lastly, keep in mind that the positive lessons you learn on your fitness journey applies to all other areas of your life such as your finances, your career, and your relationships. Think about what is holding you back, create a plan to overcome your issues, and execute your plan. You do not need to be perfect. Forgive your mistakes and keep moving.
References:
Bauer, Kathleen and Sokolik, Carol. "Making Behavior Change Last," Basic Nutrition Counseling Skill Development. Wadsworth Group. 2002. pg. 148-152.
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Top-level comments on this article: (10 total)Deana, I agree - there is a big picture to be considered. A little planning and restraint are a good mix. Now, that doesn't mean I have mastered either! Good article.Thanks, Lorrie. I am trying to convey the message that being fit is primarily a state of mind. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Deana,You are my new fitness expert! Thanks for sharing very helpful information.Hey Ronyae! I am honored to be your new fitness expert. Thank you for reading and commenting.
You make it sound so easy. Let's see if this year can be different!!Hi Nick. I know any change is not easy. I just wanted to point out in my article that a change in a thinking pattern usually precedes a change in behavior. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step :)
OK where can I sign up to borrow, beg, or swipe some of your incredible "won't " power... I won't, I won't, I won't.... a moment on the lips and forever on the hips is definitely a reality. I have lost this year with great blood,sweat and tears... good piece. MarijoHi Marijo, thank you for reading and responding. A bonus tip: perhaps instead of "I won't" think of "I will" say yes to something you really like that is not forever on the hips. Back in the day, I loved ice cream and cookies. I could hardly go a day without. Last year, I had severe acne. My doctor told me to stop eating dairy. Apparently, dairy aggravates skin conditions. Almost all desserts have some form of dairy in them. I found a great coconut milk ice cream that I eat on special occassions. Otherwise, I eat fruit for dessert. Fruit also is great for your skin. A year later, I have a great complexion, and I really like my new desserts. My body probably would not know what to do with gelato anymore. Nutrition is so much about attitude and habit. You can train your brain to love an apple as much as apple pie :)I have some early blood sugar issues and am now trying to eat according to the Glycemic Index of foods - you actually quit wanting to eat everything in the cupboard when you get those sugar cravings turned off - love fruit and once in awhile I can have some dark chocolate - works until I fall off the wagon but that happens less and less as I go on. Thanks for your help! MarijoGreat! So true. Just following the glycemic index goes a long way toward good health.
Joe Fit sounds inhuman but I know he really isn't.Hi Jim. Thank you for reading and responding. Actually, my fiance is Joe Fit. He could care less about junk food. Also, generally, my friends who are active (runners, skaters, body builders) really don't care about junk food. It's just a mind set.And once you get the insulin faucets turned down (that's what makes you store FAT instead of burning it) even a whole grained granola bar will taste too sweet - you CAN do it - I have. South Beach was not really so far off.... MarijoKudos to you, Marijo! Everything you said is true.
Joe fit will likely live longer than Paul paunch;I have given up trying to get in shape;I now realize that round IS a shape! Lovely article and well written.Paul, as long as you are happy, then I am happy for you. Thank you once again for reading and commenting. Have a great weekend.You're sweet(and not caloric) as well as fit as a fiddle! I shall endeavor to meet some friends for dinners on Saturday and Sunday and will TRY not to eat too many fats and sugars; does lifting a fork count as exercise?Paul SchroederHow much weight will be on the fork? Enough to reach temporary muscle failure in the biceps? I just had an interesting thought. The bigger someone gets, the less he has to do to get a good workout for his fitness level. So by eating more, he puts himself into a category of people who have to do less. Otherwise, he might overexert himself. What a plan! By the way, I am NOT commenting about you personally. I just thought of this paradox.Actually, on Sesame Street, Miss Piggy has a documented quote about this; she says, and I quote;"Never eat more at one meal than you can lift with both hands!"I love Miss Piggy.
It sounds like you're surrounded by friends who live, eat and think like you do, which makes it much easier to stick to a healthy lifestyle. I found myself having a drink with a friend just because they invited me to, not because I really want the drink, or having a dessert I didn't want, just to be polite. I've learned to say no or substitute it with something healthier. I used to over indulge during the holidays, but find now if I sample just a small portion of the treats I want to try and stick to my exercise routine as best I can with all the traveling we do, I come through it OK and don't feel I've missed out on anything.Great for you! Yes, I am blessed with friends and family who like to be active and take care of themselves. I also have friends who are overweight who I love dearly. I do not say anything, but I noticed that they really like to drink and eat heavy foods. That seems to be there "reward." I feel that they are holding each other back, but, again, I never say anything. At least to some extent, we become like the company we keep. I try to be aware of what influences me so I could conciously decided whether I want the influence.I admire people who manage to stay fit while traveling. I had a client who jogged in his hotel room before appointments. He turned on the cable TV and just moved for a half hour. You would never know he spent almost 20 years on the road.
Deana,Great article and super advice. I was taught to get up from the table feeling like I could eat more. That is one of the best pieces of advice my mother gave me. It has served me well. It is a shame more people don't understand that idea.Thank you Nancy. Can I borrow your mother? I need to keep that tip in mind too - walk away from the table when you feel like you could eat more. It takes the brain about 20 minutes to send a full message. Walking away prevents overeating before the brain sends the "full" message.
What a timely piece! Thanks for posting it. I think we need to remember that holiday partying can be about more than just the food and drink. What a perfect time to meet and greet those whom you haven't seen for a while. I'm going to focus on that this holiday season!
Hey Deana, this is awesome! I'm sure alot of readers will take this article into consideration...Health is very important and it starts with a good diet and workout plan...but like u said, its a mind state....Strong minds will get you far...along with self-indiscipline and self-motivation...I love working out and eating right....now, it's like a habit that I don't even have to force myself to do...I do all the right things naturally.....great article Deana....5 stars!!!Arnold, thank you for your kind words. Congratulations on your commitment to your health. You are absolutely right that once you are in the habit of exercising and eating healthy, you will not have to force yourself to do it.
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