Many of us (including myself) are trying our best to stick to a routine or diet to reach our goals. And that is perfectly okay throughout a normal week! BUT, with the upcoming holidays, I know a lot of us stress about "slipping up" or over-indulging at family dinners. While I think there is a time and a place for tracking macros, following meal plans, or having a routine in general, I think many of us need to re-evaluate our thoughts about this topic when it comes to the holidays:
Memories over Macros
I feel like some days, I can get so caught up over the numbers on MyFitnessPal. I try to hit my macros spot on from day to day each week. So, why do I think that we shouldn't track on holidays? Because stressing out on the numbers and missing out on the moments with friends and family is just not that ideal/healthy in my eyes. Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, etc. are those events that only happen once in a blue moon where you get to see people you don't get a chance to that often. Live in the moment, not with your eyes glued to the phone screen tracking each and every food you consume.
It's just ONE day
Seriously though, it's just one single day. I promise you, 1 day will NOT hinder your progress. My advice for the holidays, as stated above, is to just enjoy the time with friends and family and not stress over food (it's just food). You work hard and kick butt in the gym! You deserve these couple out of the year to treat yo' self...it's human to do that! Then the next day will roll around and you can hop right back in to your normal routine! Don't try stepping on that scale the next morning either...why do that to yourself? Just take the next couple days to get back to the plan you're used to and SHIT'LL BUFF OUT (trust me, I ate 10,000 calories for a challenge in a single day this summer and my weight went right back to normal 4 days later!)
Eat Mindfully
Just because it is a holiday, doesn't mean that you need to go full force and binge eat the entire food display at your house. Instead, just eat mindfully! There are so many tips and tricks in the books to help you out here:
-Use a Smaller Plate: When you put your food on a smaller plate, you can trick your mind into thinking you're consuming more food and you will tend to not eat as much.
-Try Smaller Portions: The best part about the holidays is that there is such a great variety of food! Instead of loading up on mountains of potatoes and gravy, try putting small portions of each food you want to try onto your plate, healthy or unhealthy. Then, if there is a food that you just couldn't get enough of, you can definetly go back for seconds or thirds of that food (remember it's okay to treat yourself!)
-Include a Variety: This is key to the "eating mindful" concept! Try to create some balance on your plate this year. If you have sweet potato casserole with marshmellows on top, why don't you add a side of some veggies, too? A buttered dinner roll? Okay, now maybe take a slice or two of some of that lean turkey meat! It's simple, just create some balance on your plate, and then you can even enjoy that slice of pumpkin pie for dessert too! :)
So there you have it! You don't need to make the holidays an event to stress about. Just make mindful choices, live a little, know you're progress is not hindered, and enjoy that quality time with friends and family!
I hope that this helped,
xoxo Lauren
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