I Blew It! Getting Back on Track After the Holidays

The holiday season is a time when according to some studies the average American gains 5 pounds! Remember, it is far harder to lose those 5 pounds than it is to not gain them in the first place. So, now the question becomes: how do you get your nutrition plan back on track, as well as prepare for the coming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays? Here are 7 tips if you have “blown it!”

1. Remind yourself that ALL IS NOT LOST! A little setback is not the end of the world. Focus on what you have already accomplished through your training and clean eating, as well as the weight loss you have achieved. Focus on how far you have come, not what little bit you have gone backwards. The quicker you realize that progress is not linear (a straight line), the better. There will always be bumps in the road, just make sure that you are still going in the right direction.

2. Don’t eat the rest of those sweets – Flee temptation! Just because you pigged out on Halloween candy or pumpkin pie doesn’t mean you should go ahead and finish the rest of it off. Donate it to an elementary school teacher to give to their students as rewards or to a homeless shelter. Better yet, give it to someone in your same age division! Don’t fall into the trap that just because you bought it and have it that you need to eat it! I don’t know about you, but if it is in my house, I will probably eat it! 

3. Make a plan/menu – With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, now is the time to make a plan, specifically a daily menu, of what you will be eating for the next two months. Don’t leave things to chance. If you have a plan, you are less likely to eat the wrong things, especially if you are hungry from not eating. This means you need to:

• Fill up on clean foods – One of the surest ways to “blow it” again is to be hungry all of the time while faced with copious amounts of cookies, pastries, and the like. Make sure to fill up on quality foods. The best way to accomplish this goal is to pack it with you to work and other outings. A small cooler with an ice pack can make it a lot easier to get through the day.
• Plan holiday cheat meal – If you know you have a holiday party or meal coming up, make that your cheat meal. It is the holidays, so you shouldn’t have to feel like you are being totally deprived. Plan your cheat meal or most of your daily calories around a holiday party or meal. However, it is dangerous to have more than one or two cheat meals per week. Just remember: portion control!
• Hang out with skinny people – The research backs up that you will generally become the same size as the people you hang out with. Therefore, if you want to be fit, don’t hang out with fat people. That sounds harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. It is especially true of people of your same gender. For example, if you are hanging out with the guys and everyone orders a salad, you will feel a bit out of place ordering a double bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake! 
• Do NOT just let your eating go unchecked until the first of the year! Let me repeat that…do NOT make getting back on track a New Year’s resolution! Start to get back on track now! Don’t wait until the start of the month, don’t start at the beginning of next week, don’t start the first thing tomorrow…make your very next meal a clean, nutritious meal!

Also, it is important to remember to not let the holidays sabotage your training. Be sure to plan your holiday activities around your runs, rides, lifting, etc. Keep your race goals in mind as you maneuver your way through the nutritional landmines that are so prevalent during the holidays. Check back here at StrideTek.com for more articles on training, injury treatment and prevention, nutrition, and many more interesting topics.