4TH OF July Weekend has arrived — it’s time to make your choice and stick to it.
As many of your know it doesn’t take much to gain weight. All it takes is not thinking, not planning, and frequently over indulging — very easy to do any time of the year but especially over a long holiday weekend.
THIS WEEKEND
you have 3 choices — Lose, Maintain, or Gain
WEIGHT LOSS: If you are really motivated and the weight loss means everything to you and you don’t want anything in your way of reaching your goals then you will continue to stick to your menu and ONLY HAVE ONE CHEAT DAY THIS WEEKEND. That means no extras at all. Simply stick to your meals and snacks and only cheat the ONE cheat day. If you do this and treat this weekend like any other weekend you will continue to stay on your path and lose weight. Will it be easy — that depends on how much you have going on — it also depends on what is most important to you. While some can go to a BBQ and focus more on how they feel others are challenged by what is around them. These are choices only you can make. There are always options — if you are going out make sure you bring what you need or make sure they will have what you need available to you. Plan before not after. Don’t give yourself reasons to do the wrong thing. If you want to stay on program and feel your best then follow your plan and stick to your clean meals and snacks. The most important thing is to make your choice before you go and stick with what you plan.
MAINTAINING: If you have a lot going on this weekend and you feel really good about where you are and you want to enjoy a little extra then you will split your days. You pick 2 out of the 3 days and you stay on program for breakfast and lunch and cheat dinner, drinks and/or desserts; and you do it Friday and Saturday OR Saturday and Sunday or Friday and Sunday (you choose 2 days of the long weekend and cheat any one meal, drinks and/or desserts and the rest of the day you are 100% on program). If you follow this you will maintain your weight through the holiday weekend — very doable. But again the most important thing is to make a choice, plan for it and then stick to it.
WEIGHT GAIN: Very easy to do but NEVER an option!
We always talk about planning and how important it is. But what is more important is following through on the planning. Do the right things and make sure that if you planned on being 110% today — then you are 100%. If you planned on cheating for dinner and dessert and then right back on the next day — make sure you go right back on the next day — no excuses. If you planned on being off program 2 nights but clean all day then make sure you do it. Always think things through — what is tomorrow going to feel like, and what the end result of your choices will be. Will it make you happy? Is it worth it? Think about where you are today and where do you want to be come Monday. Learn to live and enjoy today but plan for what you want and where you want to be tomorrow.
ALCOHOL – THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK: One drink you are okay — TWO drinks you are forgetting what is important to you — THREE drinks you are done. It’s not the alcohol that is the issue it’s what the alcohol makes you do and what it makes you forget. It’s fun to have but it can be very damaging on so many levels. Remember to think before you drink. Like everything else have a plan and know how many you are having and stick to what you plan. Drink water throughout it’s hydrating and it keeps your hands busy.
FINAL THOUGHTS…. whether you want to lose weight this weekend or maintain you can do it. You follow your plan and decide before so you know what you are doing and what the outcome will be. Think things through and always remember that just because it’s a holiday weekend that you want to enjoy and celebrate doesn’t mean that you need to cheat at everything you go to or everyday of the weekend. You can enjoy and celebrate everything without constantly indulging unhealthy weight gaining foods. We know you will feel better mentally and physically and have a happier time staying on program. When you can be amazing and on program do it because every good healthy clean choice can make the difference between maintaining and gaining. And all the choices you make as the weekend progresses will make the difference in how you look and feel each day.
You are the only person who can make the excuse of why you are going off program and you are the only person who can give yourself a better excuse of why you are staying on program. Monday is only 4 days away — think about how you want to wake up and feel when the weekend is behind you.
Make good choices today so you don’t have regrets tomorrow
Innovation Wishes everyone a Happy, Healthy and Safe 4th of July
~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
