The holidays are crazy for many people so I thought I’d write about some holiday hacks for weight loss that I practice. First, let’s pause and check in. I think many of us run on auto-pilot whether or not it serves us. Why are the holidays crazy and full of weight gain? What are you doing that you actually don’t want to do? And why are you eating your emotions or eating like it’s the last super? Consider some of these hacks to maintain weight or even lose weight.
Boundaries for Holiday Weight Loss
Pause. Smile. Then, what comes to mind? Address any emotions that damage your perspective of the holidays and make you eat more. Do families or crowds trigger you? Get clarity so that your intentions are purposeful.
In addition, are there traditions you can alter? Do you do things because you’re “supposed” to? For me, I love gifting but I hate shopping so I buy experiences instead and completely avoid the mall and traffic. That works for me. What works for you? I also believe that hosting never has to be “perfect.” Where can you set better boundaries to reclaim your time and reduce stress/anxiety? People don’t care about perfection. They just want to spend time with you and have fun. Let the little things go.
Another good practice is using the word “no.” Say “no” to foods you actually don’t want to eat, “no” to events you don’t want to attend, etc. Good boundaries often lead to decreased stress and therefore, better self-care and weight loss. I’ve seen this in so many of my clients.
Eating Hacks during the Holidays
First of all, please enjoy holiday food. Don’t go into it with guilt and manifest your weight gain. Dieting and restrictions incite emotional eating. The holidays are about people and delicious food, but let’s add some strategies. Eat before the party. Load yourself up with healthy options and don’t go to a party starving. When starving, I’ll eat everything without discretion and I’ll eat a lot of it too.
I also offer to contribute a delicious healthy dish so I know I can load my plate with something that makes me feel good plus anything else I want without feeling bad physically or emotionally. This leads me to the next point – serve yourself. Be in control of what you eat and how much is on your plate.
Plus, don’t forget to hydrate, especially between alcoholic beverages. Speaking of alcohol, make good choices there. Some holiday cocktails are full of empty calories.
Extra Ideas for Holiday Weight Loss
Top holiday hacks for weight loss is to have fun! So make sure you plan things that are fun to you, and then you won’t be eating your way through all the stress. Oh stress!!! Yes, check in with that one by exercising, prioritizing sleep, finding balance, and getting support.
Support is the key to success
Changing the mind and the body is a lot to change all at once and can feel overwhelming. Humans are hardwired to need support both personally and professionally. Get a free 30-minute phone consultation. See if this is the right match for you by addressing natural weight loss, cravings, emotional eating, balanced diet, disease prevention, nutrition, and getting to the root cause of what’s keeping you stuck. Demystify all the internet noise and get clarity. See what others are saying on Google and Yelp.
For more articles, read https://happyfoodhealth.com/blog
~ Samantha Hua, Online Nutrition Coach & Holistic Health Coach, San Diego, CA
