Reduce the suck.
Enter 2024 with a solid foundation.
We’re headed into the final weeks of the year, and mental gymnastics is happening for many people.
It’s the age-old question as we approach the holidays:
A. Do I keep my health goals and habits front of mind?
B. Do I loosen the reigns and just enjoy this time?
Is this you, too?
It’s not an easy answer, especially when your calendar starts getting full with events and you’re overwhelmed with your to-do list.
Some Tough Love
The degree to which you do A or B varies per person, and only you know what the best option is for you.
But I will tell you one thing, if you have health goals for next year, don’t make it harder on yourself by choosing “easy” now.
“The amount of suck you experience as you restart your habits is directly proportional to how you approach these last few weeks.”
When I was working as the head dietitian at Whole30, this was something we’d see every time a group was headed into their Whole30. Some people would eat everything in their kitchen that wasn’t Whole30-compatible and enjoy a “last meal” with sugar, alcohol, and bread leading up to the program. 10/10 of these people found the program MUCH harder to follow in the first few weeks.
I’m assuming you want to show up at parties with family and friends as your best self. This is much harder to do when your values and behaviors aren’t aligned.
If this resonates, it’s not too late to turn things around to reduce the amount of “suck” when you’re ready to restart your health plan.
This is my tough love reminder that you do not need to FULLY choose A and B. It can be a mix.
Lean into the season, but keep your health non-negotiables a priority.
Imagine heading into 2024 with a solid foundation, one where you (mostly) kept up with the habits you know make you feel good; and you didn’t let every holiday party turn into a free-for-all.
Here’s What To Do Instead:
Determine what’s reasonable.
Exercise: If you’re traveling, you’re likely going to have to be flexible with how you workout. Maybe you lean into a simple home workout using your Peloton app, walks, hikes, yoga, or leverage YouTube workout videos while you’re on the road.
Food: This is the perfect time to lean into the “next bite nourishing” and “worth it” concepts we’ve discussed in other Substacks. You don’t have to completely avoid all treats, but prioritize which ones you actually want and determine how much is “worth it”.
Sleep: Set boundaries around when you go to bed, and keep them. Just because the entire family or party guests are staying up until 11 pm doesn’t mean you have to.
Alcohol: Enjoy within reason, if it’s your thing. Alcohol makes choosing other healthy habits even harder.
Plan ahead with food
You likely have some sort of idea of what to expect at your family gatherings based on experience, so complement what’s there with what may be missing.
This could look like:
Bringing a veggie side (which is often missing at meals).
Bringing protein bars, protein powder, beef sticks, or other high-protein snacks to stay full and satisfied between meals.
Bringing a healthier breakfast dish like a frittata or a healthier pancake mix that you add protein powder to (maybe THIS #ingredientmeal recipe).
BYOB - Bring wine you know doesn’t give you a headache, gluten-free beer, or mixers that have less sugar.
Let the haters hate.
As we talked about HERE, you may get pushback for doing something different. For choosing not to indulge in everything. Remind yourself that your success and healthy habits can be triggering to others, but that’s on them and not you.
Fresh Start Effect
According to cognitive science research, the “Fresh Start Effect” poses that special occasions like the start of a new year or the beginning of a new season are ideal times to make positive changes. This is because your brain sees a separation in time between where you are now and the event. Your brain starts to recognize your current behavior and the potential of behaving in a different way that aligns with your values.
Motivation kicks into high gear as we approach the new year. It’s an opportunity to pave a new path, so let’s make it easier to leverage this momentum early next year!
Let’s Chat
Tell me below, are you feeling like it’s hard to choose between A or B? Do you have a clear path and strategy for the next few weeks?