Have You Already Decided That Gaining Weight During The Holidays Is a Given?

The holidays are fast approaching.  Have you already decided that gaining weight during the holidays is a given for you?

Every year, do you say to yourself, “I always gain weight during the holidays.”?

You have already programmed your brain for failure.  You have already given up.

Momma’s pie or Grandma’s mac and cheese are too hard to resist.

I get it.  I love my sister’s sweet potato casserole.  The problem was I couldn’t stop eating it.  I’d eat the topping off of it while fixing Thanksgiving dinner.  I’d want seconds during the meal and that was before dessert was even served.  It was so sweet and delicious.  Plus, I would want to eat leftovers several days afterward.

I would eat special Christmas cookies made by all the members of the family as dessert at Christmas dinner, plus ice cream, until I felt purely sick.  Not to mention for days afterward, because we would divide them up.  I would always gain a few pounds during the holidays.

Could this be you, too?  Have you just decided that gaining weight is a given?

Guess what?  Gaining weight during the holidays does not have to be a given.

What can you do differently this year?  Here are some tips for not gaining weight during the holidays:

1. Count how many holidays there actually are during the holidays.  Maybe 5 where you have a special meal.  Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  You may have more or less.  Decide now that you will only partake in special dishes on those days.  Such as, “I will have sweet potato casserole only on Thanksgiving Day. Not after.” You are deciding beforehand using the prefrontal cortex of your brain – the adult portion of your brain.  Then, honor what you decided.  You will develop a trusting relationship with yourself by doing this.
2. Take responsibility for your actions.  Don’t blame eating too much food on Grandma or Momma or Great Aunt Susie, because they fixed your favorite dishes.  They said, “But I fixed this just for you” when you try to defer.  Decide beforehand what you are going to eat and not eat at each meal.  It’s not Momma’s fault you had 3 helpings.  That was your decision.  Take responsibility for it.  Then move on.  One thing you can say is, “Momma, I’m really stuffed right now.  May I have some later or take some home?”  Then you DON’T eat it later or at home.  Or you can just say, “No, thank you.”  That’s perfectly acceptable.  Being responsible for what you eat is so empowering.
3. Don’t beat yourself up if you overindulge.  It happens.  Despite what you planned, you ate too much food that was not in your plan.  Start with a little compassion for yourself.  We have been conditioned to do this.  Your brain remembers all the pleasure hormones it got when you ate certain things.  But the thing to do is just let it go and move on.  It’s not an excuse to throw in the towel and overeat for the rest of the holidays.  That’s how you end up gaining weight.  Start back the next day with planning out what you are going to eating advance.  Stay with eating healthy, whole foods as much as you can.  You are a strong and smart person. You can figure this out.

So, gaining weight during the holidays does not have to be a given.  You can do things differently this year.  I figured out how to do it and you can, too.

Would you like some help in getting through the holidays without gaining weight and starting the new year fresh with a plan and some inspiration?  Let’s hop on a call and talk about it.  Send me an email at jane@janespringer.com and I’ll get right back to you.  I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

If you would like to get a jump start right now, download my Divinely Inspired Weight Loss Guide HERE.

Happy Holidays!