"My lifestyle is enough for me to be healthy and more than enough for me to be happy.”
Yes, the holidays are approaching when you will gather with family and friends. These gatherings are ongoing with food being the main event. There is something that you need to keep in mind throughout the holiday months and that is to enjoy this very special time. Do not become burdened thinking about calories and weight gain. Why? You are becoming healthy and not focused on weight loss. When you are making lifestyle changes to live healthily, the weight loss is a perk. You are becoming healthy is your intention and getting healthy should take you to HAPPY!
I want you to close your eyes and see a three-layer chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. You have kept the cake in a sealed container and placed it in the refrigerator. You have decided to forget about the cake and not think about it. And you know what happens next? Yes, you will keep thinking about the cake sitting in the refrigerator because you are trying so hard not to think about it. This is just human nature. That which we do not want to think about can bombard our minds until we surrender.
In other words, as you work on living healthy, this journey should not be burdensome, and you should be happy. A lifestyle change will never happen if it is burdensome as one day, you will say “I cannot live like this anymore” and then you go to the closest “All You Can Eat Buffet.” Every healthy change should be made within your lifestyle. For example, let us just say you do not like veggies and yet you have begun to prepare each meal made up with at least two-thirds of veggies. This is not going to last very long. You are only creating a good habit and good habits are great, but they can be broken. If you are unhappy with any change, the change will not last. Therefore, it is so important that changes made work in your lifestyle.
Self-sabotage happens easily when you try to control when and what you will eat. No, you do not want to create any self-sabotage moments as you are simply now changing to make healthy food choices. And when you walk into a gathering and see that three-layer chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, enjoy a slice and satisfy your appetite. After all, you may have even heard that cake calling you by your name. It is so much easier to become healthy without restrictions so that you do not begin having a relationship with food. We are speaking about restrictions that have a negative impact on you and your journey.
Now let us look at how we can maintain our healthy changes at gatherings where there is dish after dish loaded with those empty caloric high fat carb foods. Begin with drinking a tall glass of water which will hydrate you. As you know, many times you think you are hungry when all your body needs is to be hydrated.
You may use a small plate and begin with all the veggies which are low-calorie foods containing fiber and water. This will help fill you and it takes more time to chew. When you chew longer, you increase the amount of protein your body can absorb from that delicious meal you love.
You can dip the veggies in a salsa dip. Remember to also breathe in between bites. Why? Breathing before and during meals is a great way to help you become a relaxed eater and boost your metabolic power.
Let us now look at what also matters. You matter. Your family and friends matter as well as the holidays that arrive once a year. If you overindulge, if you go for that chocolate cake because you clearly heard the cake call you by name, if you want the mac and cheese, the stuffing, and all the other trimmings, you should go for it. If you think about it, you do not eat like this all the time. The holidays are special events. After all, grandma made your favorite sweet potatoes with maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and sprinkled with marshmallows, YOU SHOULD ENJOY!
You have created healthy changes and when the holidays have come to an end, you will return on your journey. Remember, this is your mantra, “my lifestyle is enough for me to be healthy and more than enough for me to be happy.”