This time of year can be pretty brutal for those of us who struggle to stay on track with our healthy eating habits. Every month between October and December has some sort of temptation to over indulge on oh-so-yummy goodies. For me it starts with the Halloween candy. Every year it’s a struggle to control my sweet teeth (yes, multiple) to be around the mounds of candy my kids bring home. Then there’s Thanksgiving with the delectable carbs covered in more carbs and what seems to be 500 different types of pumpkin desserts (seriously, who knew one gourd could be so versatile). And don’t even get me started on Christmas cookies and holiday parties! Then, to round it all off, there’s the one last hurrah of a New Year’s celebration with treats galore. What’s a girl to do with the barrage of unhealthy choices? If you’re like me, once the calendar flips to the new year you tell yourself, this is the year you’re going to shape up (literally). You’re going to start making better choices starting January 1st.
Well, what if we didn’t wait? To be honest, it crossed my mind to have the title of this post be, Why Wait to Lose Weight? Catchy, huh? Although, it can be easy to associate watching what you eat with losing weight, it’s not what I want to focus on. Instead, I want to encourage other mamas to scoop up the opportunity to start making changes toward a healthier lifestyle and not just weight loss. It’s easy to put off taking care of your body by saying that you’ll start next week, which turns into next month, which turns into next year’s New Year’s resolution. What if we didn’t put it off? Let’s start right now.
First things first, refocus your thought process. Instead of lamenting over not being able to eat all the goodies that maybe aren’t so good for your waistline, think about all the yummy things you CAN eat. Sometimes there’s this notion that healthy food is boring or blah. I know I’ve been guilty of that kind of mentality. But this simply isn’t true. Do a bit of research by finding recipes on the web that are healthy alternatives to your holiday favorites. You can also make simple ingredient substitutions to make current favorite foods healthier. For example use honey or a dash of maple syrup as a sweetener instead of white sugar. Try snacking on veggies and hummus instead of chips and dip. Sip on water with a hint of lemon throughout the day instead of your typical go-to sugary beverage. It may take a bit of trial and error to find meals and snacks that you really enjoy but once you find them it will be great to have a recipe box full of great choices. When you find the options that you enjoy, you will be able to focus on eating them and not be so tempted by everything else.
Along with focusing on what you can eat, think about portion control. Have you ever been to a holiday gathering where all the delicious food is laid out beautifully and the plate of frosted cut-out cookies is calling your name? You have one cookie and it’s so good that it turns into having several cookies? Eek! Yep, been there. I’m not saying don’t have the cookie. It’s okay to have desserts once in awhile. Just be mindful of how much of that treat you are eating. A food journal is a great way to be cognizant of what’s fueling your body. If you know you will be dining out or if you have a social even that will be serving food, plan ahead and think about what you will eat and the amount.
Being aware of your food choices is only one piece of the puzzle. Notice how I said “healthy lifestyle” earlier? This indicates incorporating and maintaining healthy choices in everything we do. Which means, being active in your daily life. Integrate some form of exercise in your routine. Maybe this means going for a long walk with your family after dinner. It could also look like waking up early and going to the gym first thing in the morning. Maybe you have a favorite exercise DVD that you pop in during your child’s nap time. There are many ways that you can be active throughout the day. Get creative!
Another important aspect of building a healthier lifestyle includes rest. Make getting proper sleep a priority. When you’re well rested, you will avoid the dreaded afternoon crash. This means you will be better equipped for making good food choices throughout the day. You’ll be more motivated to exercise when you’ve had a good night’s rest too.
It’s important to remember that everyone has a different lifestyle and each person’s healthy lifestyle will look a bit different. You don’t need to hit the gym hard for five hours every day and leave in a puddle of sweat to successfully have a healthy lifestyle. Nor do you need to kill yourself counting every tiny calorie. Start with small changes. Find a balance that works for you. No matter what changes you decide to make, don’t put them off until the new year. Let’s start now! What changes can you make today?
