Reminders for the Festive Season
This Christmas season feels a lot different compared to previous years. For starters, most of us are still processing the fact that we’re already in December (what the heck) along with navigating what has been a very challenging and taxing year.
With routines disrupted coming in and out of LD constantly, and restricted access to gyms and equipment, a lot of us are most likely heading into Christmas in a different position than what we initially envisioned for ourselves at the beginning of this year.
If you feel you haven’t made the progress you wanted to this year, celebrating can feel harder and less enjoyable.
Here are 6 mindset tips from EPM Coach Mel de Laine to help you approach this Festive season with a little more kindness towards yourself.
You do not have to earn food or the right to enjoy it.
Exercise or movement is not the only use for energy. Our body requires energy 24/7 for basic daily functioning to keep us alive.
If you want to train harder at this time of year, there is nothing wrong with challenging yourself. However approach this from a perspective of appreciating what your body is capable of, rather than trying to burn off calories.
Remaining/ incorporating activity is a great way to regulate hunger but does not make you any more/less deserving of enjoying good food.
There is nothing moral about food and it is no reflection of our personal values. The only meaning it has is the meaning we give it, which leads us into the next tip.
2. Mind your language $**$ - around food that is.
Be mindful of the words and terms you use to label food. There is no such thing as good and bad food as it doesn’t take into account energy and nutrient density.
All food provides us with energy and nourishment. There is not one particular food that instantly causes weight gain (fat gain) as weight gain is the result of consistent positive energy balance. Consistent being over a long period of time, not one week.
Being able to consume a food without guilt or fear is better for your health and wellbeing than the nutritional content of the food itself.
3. Remain flexible by adjusting your expectations
At the end of the day, you are what you do consistently, not occasionally.
This applies to both your training habits and your eating habits.
Having one day where you feel more full than usual, or one week where training volume is decreased, is not going to affect your progress. Because 1 day compared to 7 will average out. 1 week compared to 52 will average out.
We always recommend keeping up some sort of routine with training and eating patterns to maintain general health and wellbeing. But training and eating during this time is more about enjoyment and sustainability (lifestyle - not a punishment)
4. Do not skip meals or cut out certain foods this week in the lead up.
While ‘calorie banking’ is a strategy that can be used, severe restriction and avoidance can exacerbate feelings of guilt and lead to binge/mindless eating. If currently tracking your food, it can be helpful to take a break for this week to allow you to be more mindful with your intake. With all the different foods on offer, it can be hard to track accurately, and inaccurate tracking that turns out to be higher than you expected can cause you to feel stressed around eating. You are what you do consistently.
5. Eat breakfast the morning of.
This helps to regulate appetite allowing you to be more in tune with your hunger cues. It can be tempting to skip breakfast and justify making up for it later in the day, but a nourishing breakfast you enjoy is key to mindful eating, keeping stable blood sugar and avoiding ravenous hunger that can often lead to bingeing/over-eating. Stay hydrated, respect your hunger cues, and yourself.
6. Every second drink rule.
Balance out your alcohol by making every second drink a glass of water.
There is nothing wrong with having drinks over the festive season to relax and have fun with friends and family. However feeling sick and not being able to remember the events is not so fun.
Alcohol is hard work on your liver so support it by remaining hydrated. There is no need to do a lemon juice ‘detox’ or a ‘juice cleanse.’ Detoxing is the specific purpose of having a liver so the best thing you can do for it is staying well hydrated.
Have a very Merry Christmas. You deserve it.
Mel xx