The Holidays and Your Weight: The Contingency Plan

Caveat: Only for the serious

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Important Information: This newsletter isn’t for those who have a history of, or currently have anorexia, bulimia or any kind of issue where you tend to starve yourself or obsess over food in an unhealthy way. If you restrict yourself to less than 1000 calories per day (which is less calories than any healthy adult needs), this is not for you. If you are currently in treatment for any kind for food-related issue, the suggestions below are not for you. Many of the word-pictures in this newsletter are written to get across a point and because I like to use my brand of humour in my writing. If you feel hatred or disgust because of the size or shape of your body, counselling and/or psychotherapy would be of greater benefit than my suggestions.
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This is a straight-to-the-point newsletter and is only for people who are serious about controlling their weight over the holiday season. If gaining 5 or 10 pounds or so over the holidays is no big deal to you, then this isn’t for you.

If you are determined to stay the course and keep on track with your weight loss (and not be forced to wear only skirts in January), then read on.

Still with me? Great! Read this today. Then print it off and read it a few times per week throughout December. Look out for your fellow women and send it to your friends as well.

Now, let’s get started.
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As I often tell my patients, “If weight loss was easy, everyone would be a healthy weight.”

Not gaining weight during the holiday season can be tough for many people, what with all the holiday parties and holiday treats lurking around the office.

But if you have currently been working with a goal of losing or maintaining your current weight, keep your eyes on the prize. When January comes around, you will still have great memories of times spent with friends and family but what you won’t have is more weight to lose.

The same memories with none of the extra weight.

It is entirely possible to indulge over the holiday season and still not gain weight.

And no, I’m not talking about using diet pills, carb blockers or anything else that comes in the form of a pill.

It’s not about a pill.

What I’m talking about it continuing to take good care of yourself, make smart food choices and continuing to make time for yourself in the midst of the busy Christmas season. Just think of how proud you will be in January — and you’ll still fit into your pants!

If you are currently seeing me as a patient for weight loss, chances are very good that I have you on the FLT (First Line Therapy) Plan. If you stick to this food plan, with the exception of your indulgences and action steps as outlined below and you should be fine.

Action Steps

1) Write it down. Go to Staples and buy a little book with a little pen and carry it around with you. Write down everything you eat all day long. Don`t leave anything out.

People who write down what they eat throughout the day (write it down just before you eat it) lose weight just from that.

Keeping a food log in this way keeps you honest and brings your attention back to the present and to what you are doing. If it wasn’t scientifically proven to work, I’d say it was magic.

2) Keep your exercise/gym routine. I know it is a very busy time of year for many people, but when it comes to exercise you’ll need to pay now or pay double later.

Pay now with gym time to maintain your current weight / keep up with your weight loss or pay double in January when it’s cold and grey and you are doing your best to motivate yourself to work out extra hard to shed those holiday pounds.

3) Go to parties on a stomach full of protein and vegetables. Skip the carbohydrates at home at the last meal you eat immediately pre-party. You’ll be eating more than enough carbs at the party, so skip the starchy vegetables or grains at home. Eat your protein and non-starchy vegetables before you go. This will help keep those cravings and party binges to a minimum.

But please be aware that a low-carb diet is not the answer and is not healthy for you. Eat your carbs throughout the day, but at that last meal before you go to the party, just have protein and non-starchy veggies.

And make sure you eat your regular meals throughout the day as well. Starving yourself all day will make you binge in the evening and your body will hoard fat and calories.

4) Pick your parties. Let’s just be frank about it party-goers — some parties have better food than others. Decide beforehand at which parties you will indulge.

If you are too much of a free spirit for that, then when you are about to indulge (before you pick something up and put it on your plate) think to yourself, “If I indulge here, I will only have one other indulgence left for the week (see below). Is this worth it?”

Sometimes the answer will be a resounding, “Yes!” and other times, you may even shock yourself, it will be a “No, actually this isn’t really worth it.”

If you indulge everyday, you will gain weight. Two meals OR snacks as indulgences per week most likely will not set you off course as long as you don’t binge. Which, if you are following #2 above, shouldn’t be a problem.

5) The Office Conundrum. Always have healthy snacks on you at the office, especially those that contain protein. Realize that the flood of office treats will make you gain weight before the holidays have even started.

If will-power is not your strong suit, don’t let anyone put any treat on your desk that you would not give your right arm to eat. If they do, physically remove it immediately.

Start a pact with some of the other girls (or guys) at the office, that you will not sabotage each other with treats.

Nine times out of ten the office treats aren’t that great — save your indulgences for later ( two per week max as per #3). If someone brings in their homemade treat baked with the help of the gods, go ahead and indulge but make sure to write it down as per #1.

And make sure to sit back and s-a-v-o-u-r your indulgence. Turn your computer screen off and sit back in your chair.

5) Make it a 10. How many times have you eaten something at a party and then thought, “Why did I eat that whole thing? It wasn’t even that good!” Take a bite or a small piece of something and if it’s not a 10 out of 10, don’t eat anymore. Find something that’s a 10 and make that your indulgence. Or defer your indulgence to your next party.

And what if everything at the party is a 10?

There are two options here:

Option No. 1: Take a very small piece of 4 or 5 different treats. Enough for a small mouthful of each. Then, as you indulge in each one, remember to s-a-v-o-u-r. Maximum flavour is obtained in that first bite and whether it’s a small bite or a large bit doesn’t make any difference to the taste.

Option No. 2: You’ll need to exercise some self-discipline, which shouldn’t be too hard if you (b) have a stomach full of veggies and protein and (2) keep your focus on what you want more: this umpteenth dessert, the enjoyment of which will quickly become just a vague blur on the sea of sugar, flour and butter that was also known as “December” or to have your clothes fit on New Year’s Eve or in January.

Remember: Eyes. Prize.

TC

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