Managing the Holidays

As the holidays are fast approaching, it is important to have a plan on how you are going to tackle the holidays. It is equally important to remember that you are in the driver’s seat and you are in control of your actions. Make a plan and stick to it. Whatever you decide, feel good about your decision and know that we are here to support you.

Stay on Track: If your plan is to stay on track and continue to lose weight during the holidays, then that is exactly what you do. Continue to follow the Ideal Protein protocol without deviating. This will allow you to stay on track and continue to lose weight throughout the holidays! When most people gain weight during the holidays, you can feel proud that you lost!!

I recommend having a support person that can help you to stay on track. Pick a person that you trust and let them know how important it is to you that you stay on track during the holidays. Ask them to support you when eating out at restaurants or with family and friends.

When going to holiday parties, bring a dish that you know you can eat (even if the host tells you not to bring anything!). Eating before you go out can be helpful too. Also bring an extra Ideal Protein snack to avoid temptations.

Maintain: If your plan is to maintain your weight through the holidays this will give you a little bit more freedom, but will still require you to be mindful of what you are eating. This can be a good test for the stabilization and maintenance phase.

I recommend if this is your goal, that you only eat one serving of grains per day, one serving of fruit per day, and one serving of dairy per day. This can allow you to enjoy a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner (or New Year’s Eve celebration).

Indulge: If your plan is to allow yourself to indulge in some holiday treats, I recommend you still try to maintain some control. If you choose to have a piece of pie, don’t make it three. Small indulgences will allow you to enjoy some treats, while keeping the weight gain at a minimum.

If you choose this plan, I recommend you schedule a day and time to check in with your coach and arrange to get back on track. Remember that allowing ourselves indulgences can stimulate the sugar cravings/addictive cycles, so getting back on track may be challenging. Keep in mind that you did it before, so you can do it again. Know that those cycles will be broken again, you just need to give your body and mind time to readjust.

All in all, it is normal to gain a few pounds throughout the year. Doing a yearly “reset” can help you lose the few pounds that you gained and get you back on track. Don’t let the 7 pounds from one year add on to another 7 pounds from the next year and so on. I recommend a 2-3 week (or more if needed) return to Phase 1 every year to shed any unwanted yearly weight gain.