No, Iām not crazy. I donāt think thereās anything wrong with indulging every once in a while, especially on holidays and special occasions. I think most of us can agree on that. But, the thing is, sometimes you still want to stick to your diet during the holidays.
Why? I donāt know, maybe youāre super pleased with your progress so far and you donāt want to set yourself back too much, or maybe youāre afraid it could lead to 7 or 8 cheat days, who knows? Well, whatever the reason, we have some great tips for you on how to stick to your diet during the holidays. And, itās actually not that hard.
Be aware of portion size.
Especially on carb-heavy or fat-heavy foods, you want to make sure you are limiting yourself to 1 serving during that meal. So maybe thatās 1 cup of mashed potatoes or 1/8th of a 9ā³ pie, just make sure you are aware so you can keep yourself from going overboard.
Watch the condiments.
Sauces, gravies, and dressings can really rack up calories. Keep it light!
The One Plate Rule.
Itās pretty simple: only fill up your plate once. Donāt stack foods on top of each other and try to focus on proteins & veggies.
Donāt stand near the food.
At a party or family gathering, etc make sure to stand away from the food to avoid mindless snacking.
Focus on socializing, not food.
Donāt show up to a social event hungry. Iāve totally been guilty in the past of trying to eat as little as possible before a big meal to āsaveā my calories, but it can definitely lead to overeating.
You donāt have to eat it.
There are so many times when Iāve eaten foods I didnāt particularly like just because I felt like Iād offend someone. Itās not a big deal. If you donāt want it, donāt force it. Hold out for the good stuff.
Never drink your calories.
Okay, maybe not never, but keep it intentional. Make sure itās a drink you really want and be aware of the calories (mainly carbs) in 1 serving of the drink you love.
Never cheat twice.
I love this advice. The focus really is on limiting it to a cheat meal instead of a full-on cheat day.
Limit snacking to fruit or protein.
That limits you to pretty much only healthy snacks, so thatās easy. Iām a snacker, so this helps me a ton.
Donāt be afraid to say no.
People will understand and, honestly, theyāll probably really respect you for staying committed to your goals. If youāre afraid to use dieting as an excuse, you can always just say that something else filled you up or youāre just not really in the mood for it right now. Canāt argue with that š
Enjoying the Holiday Season while hitting your goals is simple. Just stick to these simple tips aboveā¼ļø