Thanksgiving is arguably our favorite National Holiday, if only because it gives us an excuse to watch football and eat enough food for a week in one sitting, and nobody can say anything about it, because they all did it too. And even after such a sizeable feast, there are still leftovers to (safely) last for a few days. But for those of us who have been making progress on our weight loss journey, the days following Thanksgiving can be especially damaging if we let them. In fact, that backwards momentum can carry us straight through to the end of the Holiday season and right into next year. So today, we’re going to go over some ways we can avoid that pitfall, and not let Thanksgiving trip us up more than it needs to. First off.
Move On
Like we said, Thanksgiving is a day when we can eat to our hearts content. Metaphorically anyway. And while this is fine on our special day, it’s important to acknowledge that the day is over. Just like every year, we’ve eaten our fill, spent time with our loved ones, and watched the Detroit Lions lose their annual Thanksgiving Day game. We aren’t saying don’t enjoy the leftovers, because that would be wasteful, but there is no need for us to serve ourselves the same portions we did on Thanksgiving. Keep in mind what we’ve discussed about portion control: a little goes a long way.
Take a Breath, Manage Your Stress
Anyone who’s ever followed a healthy weight loss plan knows the temptation to stress eat. The comfort we get from familiar flavors makes it all too easy to break our diet and find solace in food. This is heightened in the weeks following Thanksgiving, if only because the end of year Holidays are even more stressful! Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and trying to get gifts for everyone in our lives, and being bombarded with a certain song, there is just one thing we need. A few minutes to take a deep breath, gather our thoughts, and settle down. For that matter, there is no rule that says we can’t be a little active while doing so. Taking a short, 10- or 15-minute walk around the block with some music can be just the little mental health break we need to make sure we don’t get overwhelmed by stress and a temptation to eat all of our leftovers at once.
Hydrate!
Typical Thanksgiving meals are loaded with carbs, fats, and sugar. The day after Thanksgiving, grocery stores nationwide start stocking themed cookies, chocolate, and eggnog. But not only are these going to make us crash, they are adding a huge amount of calories to our diet, which presumably includes some leftovers from Thanksgiving. Water on the other hand, not only keeps us hydrated, but it can help flush many of the fat and sugar heavy foods we just ate, which in turn can help reduce cravings.
Bargain Hunting is Great for Shoppers, Not Dietary Habits
We touched on this topic earlier, but let’s explore it a bit further. The hardest part of building better eating habits is keeping those habits. And what makes keeping those habits even more difficult is the internal arguments we have with ourselves to justify bad or unhealthy decisions. We’ve all been there. “Oh, I’ve been doing great on my weight loss plan, and Thanksgiving is a day off of course. But with all the leftovers, and now with Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza on the way, it seems a bit pointless to try so hard. I can get back to it in January, it’ll be my resolution.” If we look for reasons to break our good habits, or try and find ways to rationalize it, we will find them every time. The best thing we can do right now is acknowledge that that is the same impulse we would have had before we started our weight loss journey, and that’s not who we are trying to be anymore.
Don’t Struggle in Silence
This season is a minefield for those of us trying to stick to healthier habits. It can make us feel anxious, and sometimes self-conscious, even around our loved ones. But there is no reason we can’t talk to the people in our lives about what we are going through. There is no shame in trying to improve our health, and there is certainly no shame in admitting that we are human and sometimes, we struggle with it. Remember, this is the time of year we spend with our loved ones. Talking our feelings out with people we know, and trust can help ease the tension we feel, with the added bonus of having someone to help us be accountable.
Medical Professionals Can Help Set You Stay The Course This Holiday Season
Weight loss, nutrition, wellness, and fitness falls under the category of medical science. By seeking the help of trained professionals, you not only have better resources to succeed, but the support structure you need to build better habits. The professionals at Olivera Weight Loss have over 40 years of experience in helping people reduce their weight to a healthy BMI, in a clinically proven and medically safe way, and with the means to help their patients keep it off. Patients who qualify for medical weight loss treatment with Olivera receive Phentermine, an FDA approved, clinically proven appetite suppressant. Additionally, Olivera offers a wide array of supplements designed to help you lose weight, and others to help boost energy. With our established patients having the option to continue their care with our Telehealth service, receiving the support, encouragement, and continuing education they need, we make it easier than ever to follow your plan!