1. Pair your feasts with fasts:
There are so many delicious treats around the holidays and this year, more than almost any other, we all need a bit of that holiday cheer and our old favorite dishes in our lives.
Much of the holiday weight gain can be avoided by one incredibly simple trick. No gimmick! I know, because I’ve used it more times than I can count.
Follow every feast with a fasting window. That’s it. So simple. By giving your body a chance to burn off all of the excess glucose and calories, those delicious pies, holiday cookies or spiked Eggnog will never become body fat.
How this works in practice. Let’s say you’re having a delicious Thanksgiving meal:
- Choose your favorite foods and enjoy an amazing meal with your loved ones.
- Enjoy it 100% guilt-free. Savor it and be grateful.
- Once you’re satiated, the meal is over, stop eating (don’t keep going back for 2nds and 3rds when you’re already full). Listen to your body!
- Then spend the rest of the afternoon/evening not eating and skip breakfast and lunch the next day.
- It is much easier to skip meals in the morning before you have started – so hold out as long as you can – until you’re genuinely hungry (not just craving something delicious you see or smell) – if you have trouble telling the difference between real hunger and cravings, check out our post here: Cravings vs. Hunger - Do you know the difference?
2. Limit your holiday treats to certain times (do not make it open season on the fridge)
If you know you are going to attend a holiday event Saturday night with a few friends give yourself a few hour window (say from 6-8) to enjoy yourself fully.
Don’t eat lots of snacks before the event, save your appetite for this window. While you think that may cause you to consume more, for most, it is the opposite and you will actually consume less.
And, then once your window is closed, leave the leftovers behind or give them to a loved one who is leaving. You need to give your body a break to digest and burn. Continuing to eat (especially, just because it is there) is where so much of the excess holiday weight comes in.
3. Give yourself grace
A neighbor unexpectedly brings over an apple pie and wants to chat – enjoy it! You get a box of cookies from your office – have one! And, give away the rest. You overindulge in Thanksgiving dinner. No problem!
It has been a tough year. Have some compassion for yourself. The amazing thing about fasting, is you can easily offset these periods of feasting. After having a treat just skip a meal or two or choose a simple broth or tea as your next meal.
Fasting is almost like a magic eraser for treats. If you follow times of feasting with fasting, you can allow your body time to burn off the extra glucose and calories.
So go enjoy yourself! Fully – deeply – guilt free. And, then just follow it with some fasting.
Free holiday planning guide…
The average American gains 8 lbs during the holiday season. A little planning can go a long way to ensuring that you are able to enjoy your holiday season guilt free. And, not gain the excess weight.
Download our free guide to help you map out your perfect holiday plan.
Holiday Planning Guide:
The average American gains 8 lbs during the holiday season. A little planning can go a long way to ensuring that you are able to enjoy your holiday season guilt free. And, not gain the excess weight.
5 Easy Steps to an Enjoyable & Guilt Free Holiday Season:
- Set a clear goal. It may be something like:
a. I want to maintain my weight loss through the holiday season (not lose or gain)
b. I want to limit my sugar intake to <2 days/week during the holidays
c. I want to enjoy my holiday favorites guilt-free - Identify any major food/drink celebrations that you want to be sure to enjoy
- Use your goal to determine how to best compliment these events:
If your goal is: I want to maintain my weight loss through the holiday season (not lose or gain), then:
i. Follow each feast with at least 18 hours of fasting
TIP: As a general rule, for every one decadent meal, plan on skipping two meals you would likely have eaten otherwise (Best choice: ideally skip the two meals immediately following this event ::Second best choice: skip one meal before, one meal after) If your goal is: I want to limit my sugar intake to <2 days/week during the holidays, then:
i. Prioritize events – If you know you will have three big meals all within 24-hrs (say Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Brunch, and Christmas Dinner), then know that you will want to say “no” to sugary treats for the five days prior and a few days after.
ii. Or you may choose to have desert on Christmas Eve, but skip the desert following Christmas Dinner since you know by then you’ll be quite full of holiday foods and it won’t be as big a treat. If your goal is: I want to enjoy my holiday favorites guilt-free
iii. Maybe you map out eating and non-eating days or you stick to OMAD (One Meal a Day) on non-feasting days
iv. Or you plan to start the New Year with a 72-hr Ultimate Cleanse aka a water only fast. - Map out the calendar below with your feasts and your restoring fasts. Don’t just think about it. Put pen to paper right now!
- Hold yourself lovingly accountable. As plans change, update your calendar, if you end up having a surprise feast or veering off course, no problem. Just update your plan and find a way to balance out that celebration. The point is to be able to ENJOY this magical time of the year rather than being wrapped up in feelings of “shoulds” or guilt For many of us having a plan is liberating and allows you to feel in control of your choices vs. at the mercy of the season. This allows you to spend time focused on loved ones and gives us the freedom to enjoy the treats we love without losing balance.
xoxo
KO
