Ok, here’s the less exciting title How To Stick To Your Diet Plan During The Holidays
Some people still misunderstand what a diet really is.
You don’t “go on” a diet.
Your diet is the food you regularly and habitually eat.
There are dietary guidelines like keto, carnivore, vegan, mediterranean, etc…
Which simply means you’re setting the foods that follow these guidelines…
As the food you regularly eat, your diet.
Most people can’t stick to these diet plans because they’re restrictive or so different from what they normally eat.
But some like the structure these guidelines provide.
At Dare Strength, we first manage portions of the food our clients normally eat.
Then we work to include and substitute with more nutritious foods over time.
If you're not already working managing your portion, you can start here.
These 5 steps are still a great head start to your new year resolution!
So let's tame that hungry beast!
Step 1: It’s Not a Competition
You’re not Matt Stonie or Joey Chestnut
I adopted this mentally during my high school and college days where the goal was to eat as much as possible.
Whether it was after football practice, pickup basketball or trying to gain muscle..
We would stuff our stomach until it was full, sit around to digest and eat some more.
Enjoy the food, enjoy the company, and remember how horrible it feels every time you overeat!
The first step is understanding how you think about food.
Step 2: Meals Before The Meal
We’re mainly talking about dinner, but if you’re eating Thanksgiving lunch and dinner…
That’s a different conversation.
Because many people have the competition mentally in step one, they think…
“I’m going to stuff myself for dinner so I’ll starve myself for breakfast and lunch”
Again, if you’re a competitive eater… Great strategy!
Many of our Nutrition coaching clients that track their calories will eat less calories for breakfast and lunch.
Then eat a little more during dinner, while staying within their calorie goals.
Aside from the competitive eater mindset...
If you feel like you're starving, you’re more likely to overeat.
The second step is to eat some food for breakfast and or lunch so you don’t release the hungry beast at dinner.
Step 3: Protein & Fiber
Now we’re at the dinner table, the saliva is flowing and your gastric juices are primed to demolish some stuffing.
Start with a salad and some vegetables. What..?
If you can pump the brakes for 5 minutes to eat some veggies…
- The fiber can help slow digestion so you don’t overeat
- Your blood sugar won’t spike (no food coma)
- You slowed your mind to avoid binging
Then a big portion of protein is the next step.
Whether it’s turkey, ham or chicken or roast beef.
Animal protein will:
- Slow down your digestion
- Increase satiety signal (stomach telling your brain you’re full)
- Provide necessary amino acids (nutrients) your body is starving for
Most people undereat proteins (amino acids) which is an essential nutrition for nearly every cell in your body.
If you satisfy your body’s hormonal and chemical needs…
It’s much easier to manage how much you eat.
After you filled at least half of your stomach with protein and fiber...
Slowly enjoy some carbs and fat (everything else on the table)
Step 3 is prioritizing protein and vegetables.
Step 4: Leave Room for Dessert
I bet you weren’t expecting this one!
Our coaching clients understand that as long as we eat within our calorie goals…
We can see improvements in body weight and body fat.
Should you eat dessert and sweets for every meal?
Of course not.
But a slice of pie or cake during a holiday meal is icing on the cake.
If you want to eat like a diet zealot and be a nutritional monk, all the power to you.
But we believe in progress, not perfection.
And occasionally eating fun foods!
Summary so far:
- Remember you’re not in a eating competition
- Eat small meals before dinner so you’re not starving
- Prioritize protein & veggies at the beginning of your meal
- Then eat moderate amounts of carb and fat (everything else on the table)
- So you have room for dessert
Step 5: Stress, Sleep, Intense exercise
This last step affects your meal indirectly but it’s a big piece of the puzzle.
Stress
You’ve likely experienced emotional eating (or stress eating)
Some common stressors:
- Tensions can run high if you’re planning and travelling
- Meeting family members you don’t spend a lot of time (for a reason)
- The weight of everyday life is still weighing on you, even during the holidays
Find ways to manage stress:
- Go for a walk with or w/o others
- Turn off your phone and put it away
- Breath, deep breathes (two inhale + on long exhale)
Excessive stress hormones in your body can signal the need for more energy
Why? Fight or flight.
Your mind just thinks mental and emotional stress, but your body?
Your body interprets stress as one thing, FIGHT OR RUN FROM DANGER!
Sleep
- Poor sleep can lower your stress tolerance, leading to everything listed above.
- Poor sleep can affect your appetite (increase hunger signals while decreasing satiety/fullness signals)
- Poor sleep makes it harder to regulate your emotions and will power…
Making it more likely to go into f*k it mode…
“I messed up already so what’s another day of binge eating?...”
Intense Exercise
Many people will use intense exercise as an excuse to eat more or…
As a way to eat more.
When you workout with high intensity, you use a lot of stored glycogen.
Where does glycogen come from?
Carbohydrates.
If you use up all your glycogen, your body will signal you to replenish them…
“I need all the carbs!”
Intense exercise can also be a signal of stress for your body.
Then we’re back to the stress explanation above.
If you can manage your appetite, get some intense training in!
Otherwise, a moderate workout will:
- be great to release stress
- help you manage the coming stress
- help with digestion and help you enjoy food
RECAP
It’s time to put away the “I’ll start after the holidays” mindset.
You already know how that story goes. (*cough* New Year Resolutions *cough*)
The holidays might be the most challenging time to start but…!
If you can start working on these habits during the most challenging times…
Imagine how much easier it will be during the less busy times of the year?
If you're ready to manage your diet and would like some support and accountability..
Schedule a no sweat intro here.
Happy Holidays!
