Though the end of the year holiday season is over, there are still many foodie holidays on the way this year to entice us. There are the chocolates of Valentine’s Day, the ham and a table full of side dishes for Easter, and all the summer fun that leads to our weight bouncing up and down. Many people are truly happy with their current weight. They don’t want to lose any weight, but they don’t want to gain either. There is a way, even with the temptation of tons of goodies, to keep your weight stabilized. This is what is called a weight neutral holiday.
What’s a Weight Neutral Holiday (& Why You Should Aim for One)
Family holidays are special. It doesn’t matter whether it’s winter or summer. We treat these days as though they are the most special of the year. Although holiday time is a lot of fun, which is why we look forward to them, it’s too easy to overeat. We can alter our mindsets to see each holiday, where there’s food involved, as a single day event, and we don’t have to carry this thought into the week or the entire month. If it’s a special day, leave it as a special day and start again tomorrow eating the way you always do. Allowing our weight to go up and down is not a healthy strategy for living a vibrant energetic life.
Here are a few suggestions on how to enjoy a weight neutral holiday:
- Remember, that the holiday is only one day; Valentine’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the 4th of July.
- Plan the way you will eat and enjoy the holiday on your calendar or planner. Actually write it all down. It can look something like this, “Tomorrow is the July 4th picnic. I will enjoy all the barbecue and potato salad, but the next day, it’s back to my healthy diet until the next special holiday.”
- Share this information with family and close friends. Let them know that you don’t want to overeat all month just because tomorrow is the 4th of July. Let them know that on July 5th, you want to take in some lighter, healthier foods to get you back on track.
- Create an after holiday ritual that will make the next day special in a different way. Find a new recipe that’s healthy and fun to make, and begin your ritual that way. Invite a few friends or family members to help get everyone feeling good about themselves again, by indulging in a healthy crispy kale salad with chick peas, or a hearty healthy soup or stew.
The point is, you don’t have to allow one day to ruin your weight goals and your health. If we ate like Thanksgiving every day, there would be nothing special about the event. Keep holidays special by enjoying some good foods and loved ones, but the next day, get back on that treadmill and healthy, filling, breakfast.