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Getting back on track after the holidays.
DJAB • January 4, 2021
Feeling lethargic? Have you been left feeling flat?
Ways to Get Back on Track and Reconnected to a Healthy Lifestyle .
Overindulge these holidays?
I don't know about you, but I love the holidays. All that festive cheer, time off work, yummy food, catching up with friends, and sleep-ins are simply wonderful. If you live in a country that enjoys Christmas in the warmer climate, that means beach time, pool time and sunshine. For those in a white Christmas in the colder climate, it is warm clothes, cozy fires, and plenty of warm meals.
But the holidays can be fraught with anxiety and danger. All that delicious food can seriously derail your good intentions, and fast.
If you've found yourself wondering where all your good work has gone over the holidays, never fear! My tried and tested steps for getting back on track after the holidays will have you feeling on top of things in no time.
Getting back on track ideas:
Leave The Holiday Vibe With The Holidays
You had a great time, got to relax, ate food you wouldn't normally eat, but now it's time to get back on track. Just because you let things slide a little during the holidays doesn't mean it needs to become your new normal. So thank the holidays for the fun they brought you and leave those holiday ways there... with the holidays.
Clear Out The Crap
Is your fridge bursting at the seams with leftover holiday food? Now is the time to pass it on to friends or throw it out. Those little treats will call your name loudly if you leave them where you see them (I know this all too well. Anyone else have chocolate call their name?!).
Plan Your Meals
The quickest way to get back on track is to plan meals. When you know what you will be eating for the week ahead, you are way more likely to stick to it and get back in control after a break. Map each week out with all the recipes, weekly shopping lists, so all you need to do is get the food and start cooking. When you let yourself get too hungry, it's all too easy to overeat. To avoid that, plan nutritious snacks into your day. When you're away from home, carry a "snack pack" filled with healthy options: things like dried and fresh fruits, baby carrots, nonfat yogurt, trail mix, whole-grain cereal, nuts, and baked chips.
Get Accountable
It has been found that people were 65% more likely to achieve their goals if they committed to someone that would do it. Find an accountability buddy and let them know what you want to achieve.
Remember Your WHY
It can be hard finding motivation to get back on track after the holidays. By focusing on why you want to feel better, you will re-direct your mind to the end goal. Perhaps you want to wake up feeling energized, healthy and happy. Ask yourself - is this meal, activity or lifestyle leading me towards or away from that goal?
Set Goals
Get clear on what it is you want to achieve. Write it down. Make it SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. What else will bring you satisfaction if you can achieve it? Your goals don't have to be huge goals to make them worthwhile. By achieving lots of little goals, your sense of achievement will grow with each one and your mindset will strengthen in the knowledge that you can achieve things you set your mind to.
Move Your Body
For many of us, the holidays can equal a more sedentary lifestyle. Coupled with extra food and possibly alcohol, our bodies can be crying out for some gentle movement. Things like yoga, walking, swimming and stretching can be really beneficial. Pick a movement that you love doing and start with that one. Even 5 minutes will be beneficial to your body. Don't stop moving. Even if you can't make it to the gym, duck out for a 20-minute walk. Exercise not only helps you burn the extra calories you took in while you were off your plan, but it also relieves boredom and stress that can trigger overeating.
Hydrate
When you are out of your routine, it is easy to forget to drink enough water. And when the weather is freezing or boiling hot, our body needs us to keep up the H2O more than ever. Getting your water intake back to what it should be is one of the easiest ways to support your return to health.
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
So you let your hair down over the holidays. Did you have fun? Was it worth it? Yes? Then that's great! Focus on the fun you had, the lovely social interactions you got to enjoy and even the vacation from your regular food choices. What is done, is done and you can't change the past. Instead, look to the future and get organized for going forward. The only thing worrying about what you did will do is tie your gut up in knots. And no one wants that.
Don't turn the relapse into a moral issue.
You're not a bad person or destined to be fat just because you slipped up. Think of the setback as a way to develop coping skills. Going off your diet is a signal that your motivation has veered off track. So sit down and take stock: When you were following your program, how did you feel? What was motivating you then? Recreating those feelings can help you get your incentive back.
Learn from your experience.
If you don't recognize what led you to fall off the diet wagon, you'll probably react the same way the next time the situation arises. Write down a list of the situations that trigger you to overeat, and plan an alternative for each. For example, if parties are your downfall, have a healthy snack beforehand to keep your appetite in check. Don't try to make up for the slip with a punishing regime of diet and exercise. You may lose weight this way, but you're almost sure to gain it back. This will only set up an unhealthy pattern of gaining and losing, and create anxiety about your relationship with food.
Look at the big picture.
Realize that weight loss requires a decrease in calories over time, but it doesn't matter what the exact time period is. So consider your food intake a week or a month at a time instead of every day. Chances are you'll have good days and bad days, and slipping up once in a while isn't that big of a deal. You can always make up for it later in the week, or at the next meal.
Don't deprive yourself.
Cutting out all your favorite foods is a sure-fire way to trigger feelings of deprivation that can lead to a binge. Instead, choose healthier options: have a half-cup of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of a pint of ice cream, a bite-sized candy bar instead of a whole one.
Change your routine.
Use starting anew as an opportunity to try a new exercise class -- maybe belly dancing -- and add some new, healthy foods to your regime (visit your local farmer's market for inspiration). It will add spark to your routine and keep you from getting bored.
Check Your Sleep
How did you sleep over the holidays? Did you use it as a time to enjoy relaxing sleep-ins? Or did you find yourself going to bed later than normal and missing out on some much needed sleep? If you're the latter, now is the time to re-set your sleep rhythm. Aim to get to bed 15 minutes earlier each day. It can take a week to get back into my normal routine, but you may find it easier to slowly return to my regular bedtime schedule than to lie awake in bed for hours waiting for sleep to befall you. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to start getting ready for bed. Turn off all electronic devices a few hours before bedtime, enjoy a warm shower or a soothing cup of herbal (non-caffeinated) tea. Whatever your bedtime routine, ensuring you are getting plenty of uninterrupted sleep each night will support you to achieve your health goals.
Thank you for your support in reading this article and hopefully, you have found it beneficial.
"Providing Better Health Through Knowledge"
Glutathione - Collagen - L-Carnitine - Vitamin C
Four ingredients when taken alone can certainly support the body and provide added benefits. However, combined them together and you definitely will have the opportunity to not only feel, but see improvements.
Knowledge is like adding another book to your library.
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Why Detoxing is Beneficial.
Detoxification — or detox — is a popular buzzword.
It typically implies following a specific diet or using special products that claim to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving health and promoting weight loss.
Fortunately, your body is well-equipped to eliminate toxins and doesn’t require special diets or expensive supplements to do so.
That said, you can enhance your body’s natural detoxification system.
Thank you for your support in reading this article and hopefully, you have found it beneficial.
"Providing Better Health Through Knowledge"
Many people rely on quick, processed foods for meals and snacks. Since these products often contain added sugar, it makes up a large proportion of their daily calorie intake.
In the US, added sugars account for up to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults and up to 14% for children.
Dietary guidelines suggest limiting calories from added sugar to less than 10% per day.
It is believed that sugar consumption is a major cause of obesity and many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.
Here are some reasons why eating too much sugar is bad for your health.
Thank you for your support in reading this article and hopefully, you have found it beneficial.
"Providing Better Health Through Knowledge"
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