You Can't "Fail"
But you can give up on yourself.
Wait until next year? Think again.
The months of October, November, and December are FULL of temptations. It’s also a time when we go into hibernation — it’s colder, darker, and easier to make excuses to stay inside and out of the gym.
It’s a time when many of us push ‘pause’ on our health goals. We think things will lighten up and magically get easier once the holidays are over. Which makes sense, and is somewhat true, but also…
Would you believe me when I say now is a great time to start?
I’ve recently had a handful of clients reach out and inquire about nutrition coaching because they want to tackle the holidays head-first, strong, and confident.
They KNOW there will be extra opportunities for indulgence, but they have a growth mindset. They acknowledge that while there will be more barriers to their goals, this is an excellent opportunity to build resilience that will last a lifetime. I love that.
Instead of seeing the next few months as a barrier to your success, can you see it as an opportunity?
Life will ALWAYS have barriers; let’s stop pretending there’s a perfect time to start your health goals. There may be easier times, but it’s never effortless.
Why wait?
If staying healthy or losing/maintaing weight during the holidays stresses you out, you may have the wrong approach.
While it’s “common” to gain weight during these next few months, it’s not your destiny. You have more power than you give yourself credit for.
Here is where we balance GRACE and GRIT, remember this article?
Grace for enjoying foods you love, and grit for being able to stop at a few bites.
Grace for skipping the gym because you have a family event, and grit for putting your tennis shoes on and heading out for a quick walk because that’s what time allows.
Grace for overindulging, and grit for having a #nextbitenourishing mentality.
Grace for doing your best today, and grit for trying again tomorrow.
Next Bite Nourishing
Next bite nourishing is a mantra I coined that acknowledges the CHOICE you have after overindulging. You will ALWAYS have the next meal to get back on track. You will always have an opportunity to make a different choice and learn from past experiences.
Want to know what the most successful people do to lose weight?
They get CURIOUS about their choices and try again.
Here’s what I mean.
Example 1:
You kids came home with a bucket full of Halloween candy.
You told yourself you would have a few pieces of your favorite kind of candy (hello, Reese’s!) and then be done.
You were not done :) You ate most of their stash of Reese’s and then some…
You felt frustrated at yourself, cranky, bloated, and disempowered.
You threw away the candy, but the cravings continued.
The rest of the week, you find yourself eating more processed carbs and skipping the gym, because … why bother.
Example 2:
You kids came home with a bucket full of Halloween candy.
You told yourself you would have a few pieces of your favorite kind of candy (hello, Reese’s!) and then be done.
You were not done :) You ate most of their stash of Reese’s and then some…
You realize that next year it may be helpful to take a different approach.
Maybe you get rid of the stash earlier (toss it in the garbage).
Maybe you keep the candy up high in a closed cabinet to reduce the temptation.
Maybe you allow one piece a day so it doesn’t feel off-limits and thus more desirable.
You get curious about that experience, then move on. You tell yourself, “next bite nourishing”.
The rest of the week, you’re back on track with your regular exercise schedule and eating routine. It’s no big deal.
It’s Your Choice
What feels better to you?
Can you give yourself grace over the next few months while leveraging grit to keep you feeling mentally and physically your best?
Could you plan ahead and bring a healthy side dish or prioritize protein before holiday events to calm sugar cravings?
Will you start practicing the #nextbitenourishing mantra as you enter the holiday season or continue to beat yourself up, and then give up?
I know you can do this. You just have to believe you can.