Holiday weight gain is something we all seem to struggle with. You might be reassured however, to know that on average, most adults only put on a couple pounds during this nostalgic season packed with sweet treats. Regardless of whether you’re on your own weightloss journey, utilizing a program like Breakthrough M2, or you’re calorie counting, doing Keto, or some combination of fitness and wellness plans, beating holiday food temptations can seem tough. Being surrounded by baking, extravagant meals, and seeing delicious holiday treats at every turn can lead us to making less healthy food choices. 

We know how hard temptation can be. We know it can be hard to talk yourself out of that one cookie, a single piece of holiday candy, or an extra helping of stuffing on Thanksgiving. But it’s that everyone knows we have the utmost faith that you can do it! You can beat holiday cravings, and we’re here to help you with a few tips to keep you on track this year.

Beating the Holiday Food Temptations – Moderation and Alternatives

At the root of holiday food temptations comes our overwhelming desire to be successful and stick to our guns. We want to be strong and beat the cravings, but there are a lot of things at work when we’ve decided to change the way we look at food. The BTM2 program means no alcohol, no sweets, and no added fats – this is pretty true for most weight loss plans, but the cravings are there for anyone, at every age, regardless of whether you’re trying to lose 10 lbs or 50. 

There are however, studies that show that forcing yourself to completely abstain from those sweet treats and holiday temptations can sometimes cause you to binge if you spend too much time fighting the good fight. At the end of the day, allowing yourself a little wiggle room may be better than trying to fight off the cravings and then falling off the weight-loss horse all together.

Photo by Anthony Shkraba from Pexels Eating healthy during the holidays can be tough, but not impossible. Plan your treats in moderation, and allow yourself a little wiggle room. These planned exceptions allow you to make room in your diet for a few treats here and there, and they’ll help cut down on the guilt you may feel. Don’t fret though, you’ve worked hard and a few treats in moderation won’t put an end to your journey. BTM2 calls this the 90/10 way of living. After you have reached your goal, 10 % of the time you can have cheat meals. That equates to 2 meals a week, you can have what you want. Because, hey, you aren’t in food jail!

Let’s take a look at some methods you can use to help keep your dietary choices as closely aligned with your weight loss goals as possible. Knowing how to prepare for the inundation of delicious and extravagant holiday meals, and all the sweet treats that the holidays bring to our tables can help us say no when it counts, and can hopefully help you say yes in moderation. Remember, we want you to change the way you look at food; these meals and treats will be here for the rest of your life. Lets learn how to enjoy them in a way that’s best for our bodies!

• Change the “eat now, exercise later” mentality – Don’t allow yourself to say “it’s only for a few weeks”. You’ve worked hard to take back control of your physical and mental health. Changing your outlook about weight loss is hard, and you’ve fought so hard to get where you are. Don’t think of it as a cheat day. Derailing your progress for a few weeks is setting yourself up for failure later. We know you can apply some of that well established commitment and power through!
• Drink water!  Try drinking half your body weight in water in ounces every day.  This helps feel full and staying hydrated helps you crave less food.
• Plan for your outings – Holiday shopping, dropping off gifts to loved ones, holiday meals, and the ever constant exposure to holiday foods and treats at every store, outlet, and holiday event means that holiday food temptation is everywhere. Make sure your loved ones know how hard you’ve worked, and how having food and snacks available that are healthy alternatives would be such a nice treat for you. Pack snacks and foods that align with your new program so when you’re out getting your shopping done for the holidays, you don’t have an excuse to grab something that you’ll feel guilty about later. Planning for your treats is sometimes called a “planned exception” and it’s a great way to integrate these less healthy snacks into your plan while scheduling your dietary needs to make room for them. It’ll cut down on the guilt and help keep you focused. 
• Choose wisely – If you’re headed to a gorgeous spread at your grandma’s house, be sure you take a look at everything there is to put on your plate, and make good choices. If you just can’t resist the stuffing, take a small portion. Stick to nutrient rich veggies and lean cuts of meat. Resist going back for a second plate! Remember, it’s better to take a little bit of the things that we really want to enjoy than to over indulge and potentially harm our forward thinking.
• Leave the leftovers – Sometimes, beating the holiday food cravings means we agree to let someone else do the cooking. This keeps the leftovers out of our own fridges. That also means sticking to our convictions and turning down the opportunity to take leftovers home. 
• Skip the bar at the holiday party – Adult beverages are nothing but empty calories. If you’re going to indulge, switch your mixers to sugar free or club soda, and keep it to 1 or 2 drinks. Drinking in excess also leads to impulsive eating, so the benefits of cutting down on holiday drinks can help you cut down on holiday snacks, too.
• Change your perspective– Your weightloss journey isn’t just about eating less. It’s about teaching yourself how to enjoy delicious food in moderation. You’ve worked really hard to change the way you think, the way you eat, and to view yourself as worthy and capable of changing your health. A few treats over the holidays won’t stand in the way of your ultimate success. That’s why it’s so important to allow yourself a little wiggle room to prevent you from derailing altogether. Forgiving yourself for a few breaks in your regularly scheduled weight loss program is ok. Just don’t let yourself go too far off track!

If you haven’t started your weightloss journey yet, that’s ok too. This is the perfect time to really evaluate your dietary choices and get started. Don’t wait for the new year – enjoy your holiday season with control, fight the temptation before your new year’s resolutions and get your journey started now! 

If you’re interested in speaking with us about starting on the Breakthrough M2 program, reach out via our learn more page. We’re excited to help you shed the pounds while learning how important your health is to you. We can’t wait to help you through your journey!