It’s that time again when your firm, your office, your friends and family have holiday parties. Of course, with parties comes lots of food. Lots and lots of food.
How in the world are you supposed to enjoy a holiday party without overeating and then feeling awful afterwards and beating yourself up?
Maybe you have really been trying to follow a food plan this year and have been doing pretty well and lost some weight. Maybe you have quit sugar and have just about gotten over the desire for it.
Or maybe you haven’t been able to muster the time, energy and commitment to lose any weight this year, but have desperately wanted to.
In any case, here comes the holiday season with parties and temptations galore.
What do you do to enjoy yourself and not make choices that don’t serve you or your body?
I’ve got you on this. Take these 3 suggestions and go forth to have a great time and come out feeling stronger and better about yourself than you have in ages.
- Before the parties, remember why you want to honor your food plan. Did you make a commitment to yourself earlier this year? What was it? Write it down. Again. Repeat it to yourself. For example, “I quit sugar to lower my insulin and be free of cravings. I want to continue that right through to the end of the year and into 2018. I’ve got this!” Honor your commitment! If you hadn’t made that commitment to yourself before this, do it now. Don’t wait till January 1. You can do this. Repeat after me: “I want to feel slim, strong and sexy. I am making healthy food choices and I feel great about it.”
- Make a plan before the party. You know that date and time. Know what you are going to do. Eat a small snack before you go, if you are hungry and it is 5 p.m. A handful of nuts, some nut butter with a couple of pieces of apple, or a couple of slices of turkey. You don’t want to arrive ravenous, hit the food table, plus add a couple of glasses of wine. Look at what the food offerings are. Look for protein, vegetables and some fat. Avoid crackers, chips. If you absolutely have to have something sweet, take a small sample and keep moving and talking. The more you circulate away from the food table, the better. You will feel very powerful if you stick to your plan. It’s not about white-knuckling it. Its about honoring your commitment to yourself.
- The more conversation you have, the better. It’s difficult to talk and eat. Connect with people. We communicate so much electronically, this is your chance to really develop relationships. Let’s say you are a partner in a law firm. Get to know that associate attorney who is always rushing around and working late. Have a conversation with the legal assistant who makes life easier for you and the rest of the firm. Ask your fellow shareholder about his or her family. It’s about relationships, people. What does this have to do with eating? You are making connections with real people and keeping your mouth busy. You aren’t hovering around the food table. It’s a win-win.
That’s it. Take these suggestions and go forth to enjoy your holiday party without overeating. You can do it!! And you will feel so good the next day. Promise!
What do you think of these suggestions? Leave me a comment, especially if you have some more suggestions.
If this process seems a little daunting and you need some help navigating this season and going forward into 2018, contact me ASAP. If you want to lose that extra stuff around your middle that has been creeping up and bugging you for a while now, I’m ready to help. Are you ready to go?? Contact me and we’ll have a 20 minute consultation about your weight loss goals and how to get you started to a slimmer, sexier you in 2018.
Happy Holidays!!
Jane Springer is a certified Life, Wellness and Style Coach who assists women in taking care of themselves, in body, mind and spirit. She coaches women who want to lose weight, avoid diabetes, and feel great. She also helps them thrive after divorce. She also helps them to clear their closets of old clothes and outdated attitudes, so they can shine and feel confident.