December - The Final Stretch
Newsletters
However well you've done with your weight loss plan this year, make sure you do your best this month. Don't let the holiday treats at home and office, or the temptation to give up until the New Year, get the best of you.
There's no need to rely on willpower alone to get through this difficult time of year. Here are some strategies that will help:
Create a Supportive Food Environment: Keep foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your kitchen, your desk at work, and wherever else you might feel hungry. Pack healthy snacks for the shopping mall. Surround yourself with low calorie, healthy food choices.
Avoid Eating Triggers: Everyone has different factors that trigger their desire to eat. It could be the stress of the holidays, or feeling deprived. Ask yourself, "What environmental triggers drive my desire for food?"
Create a Plan: After learning what situations, foods, and routines tempt you to eat, formulate a plan for dealing with them. If stress causes you to turn to food for comfort, find a substitute such as going for a walk or talking with a friend.
If feeling deprived leaves you unable to pry yourself from the holiday fudge, try allowing yourself a small daily treat. Just remember that you will need to cut the extra calories elsewhere. Trade your daily soda for a sample of your coworker's baklava.
Lastly, don't let a little slip give you license to abandon your goals. In fact, that's a good place to keep your focus this December. Not on all the temptations and little setbacks, but on all the positive things you are working towards.
Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
