Welcome back! It’s the week before Thanksgiving and I want you to get all the tools you need to keep on your goal of losing weight for the holidays. It is possible!
This week I want to show you how your brain makes the holiday foods irresistible so that you can break the hold they have on you. Now, I’m not saying you can’t have them! But there are specific thoughts you’re thinking that are creating a level of desire for the foods that keep you from being able to decide on purpose what you want to eat and what you can leave behind or save for later.
You know how you used to get your plate for Thanksgiving and pile it so high that it looked like a small mountain? Then you’d eat it all and be so full you’d feel sick and hate life for a few hours until your stomach digested some of it? No more. Not only is that an awful feeling, but it ruins your plan of losing weight the way you want to. That’s your first reminder: Eat when you’re physically hungry and stop when you’re politely full (go back to the intro to this series if you need a refresher!). That means you need to triage – you have to choose which of the foods in front of you that you want to eat instead of piling all of it on your plate. Does the turkey look dry? Skip it. Are the brussels looking amazing? Have those. Macaroni and cheese your favorite? Get some. Feeling kinda meh about the glazed carrots? Leave them.
But what if you want it all? Let’s talk about the main reason why that is and how you can get around your brain’s programming. Let’s start with an example that has nothing to do with holiday food.
Girl Scouts cookies.
Now, there’s no doubt that this company has great marketing and the cookies are fun and nostalgic, but when you really get down to it, they’re just boxed cookies. Seriously, they’re ok, but they’re still just cookies from a box. The main reason why you feel compelled to buy all your favorite and stock up is that they’re offered once a year. The marketing campaign is designed to create a sense of scarcity. So you’re watching the sign-up sheets circle around the office, trying to calculate how many boxes you need to last you – what? Six months? Who knows? Until you feel like you’ve had enough, which as long as you feel the scarcity is NEVER.
The same thing happens during the holidays. You think that you can’t have these foods any time of year so you have to eat them all right now. That’s how you end up stuffed like the turkey, hating how you feel and dreading what the scale is going to tell you. But you can have those foods at other times if you want!
Honeybaked ham is a good example. You wait all year to have a ham with the sugar crust, so you have to have your share and then some, right? But isn’t there a Honeybaked store within driving distance? Surprise – they’re open year-round and you can have ham anytime you want!
How about the special pie Aunt Sally brings to dinner, then one she only makes once a year? You’ve got options. One, ask Aunt Sally for the recipe. She might be thrilled to pass on her legacy and then you can make it any time you want! Or, ask her to bring you a pie to freeze for later. You might just put your slice aside so you can enjoy it when you get hungry again instead of piling it on top of the meal when you’re already full.
Here’s a secret: The best bite of your meal is the first one. When you’re actually physically hungry, your taste buds are turned up to flavor. As you eat, the “volume” gets turned down. So the first few bites are the best. Even if you keep eating (seconds, anyone?), it won’t taste as good as it did at first. The body is trying to turn off the flow of food, so it just won’t work. So slow down and enjoy those first few bites! You could even have dessert first if that’s your favorite (if you can get away with it). You could save the dessert and have it the next time you get hungry – it’ll taste better!
You can enjoy the holiday meals and NOT eat so being stuffed! You get to decide what’s most important and eat what you like. If you really want to lose weight, you can decide to eat differently on your holiday occasions this year. Enjoy the friends and family, enjoy the food, choose to eat when you’re physically hungry, and don’t let your brain hijack your plans!
You can lose weight for the holidays! If you know you want more personalized support and accountability, email me at drandreachristianparks@gmail.com. Let’s set up your one-hour free private coaching session and get you started toward your goal!
Here’s your video help for the week!