[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Memorial Day is upon us and while in the past it was hard enough to get through it doing the right things…. now with everything opening up, beaches, bbq and social gathering back in full swing – we have to be more careful then ever. Our first instinct is we missed it and we want to enjoy – and I want that for you. But I also want you happy come Tuesday morning.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]I know many of you think you have this under control. Just like all the other holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years…you get my picture? But this holiday is not one you want to play around with. Because what follows Memorial Day weekend?…… SUMMER! This is not a holiday that if you go off for 4 days you will have time to reverse the damage. NOPE! This is a holiday that when it’s over – it’s really just beginning. The very last thing you want to do is throw away everything you have worked so hard for – and we all know it doesn’t take much to do that…. Listen, I would love to tell you that you can go and enjoy your weekend and not worry about your plan – go ahead and eat whatever you want, life is short. But you can’t because you will not only gain the weight back that you lost but you will be miserable come Tuesday morning. Not only will you be miserable, I can guarantee if I asked you to tell me what was so amazing that you ate you wouldn’t be able to tell me. Because truthfully, if anything is amazing that you “NEED OR WANT” then you will have it on your Cheat Day. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Having fun, celebrating and doing all the things you want to do this weekend can be done without over eating. You need to have a plan and stick to it. Because if you don’t and you try and do it without a plan, I can promise you that Tuesday morning will come around and you will be miserable looking for some quick fix (that doesn’t exist) to make it all better. Instead, let’s try to do the right thing that will work for you now, the whole weekend and make you feel good going into next week. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]DRINKING: If you are drinking – and it’s not water 🙂 – you save your snacks for the alcohol. If you know that you lose control after two then only sip one through the night or have two far-apart with lots of water in between. Losing control with the alcohol is not good for you, your weight loss or the people that are trying to enjoy the party around you. If you want to be the talk of the party then make sure the only thing they are talking about how great you looked.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]It’s a long weekend and it will be a challenge. But you constantly have to remind yourself what you want and how you want to feel come Tuesday morning. Here are some easy options to follow:[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]ONE CHEAT DAY: If you want to continue to lose this weekend and treat it like any other weekend then you will have ONE CHEAT DAY and you will be very mindful through the other days. You will go and have fun and enjoy and do all the right things like it’s any other day that you are celebrating with family and friends that you love. But you will not eat like it’s a cheat except for one day over the weekend. It is very doable and you will continue to lose if you follow this. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Do you want to maintain through the holiday weekend? Maintain can be tricky because you need to know your boundaries. You choose to eat clean all day and only go off for dinner and dessert or dinner and drinks or just drinks. Remember, just because it’s a cheat doesn’t mean you can’t order a beautiful clean fish and steamed vegetables and just enjoy your wine or ice cream. Cheats don’t have to be all out cheats, they are supposed to be special. Make sure you are cheating on things you love and miss. Never cheat just to cheat. If you follow this and do it Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – or Saturday, Sunday and Monday then you will maintain and when Tuesday morning comes you will feel like you stayed in control and you are not starting over but just continuing on to your weight loss week. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]GAIN? Do you want to gain through the holiday weekend? This sounds so simple right! But what is really disturbing is that it’s even easier than it sounds. You can’t have a Cheat Day and then cheat meals. You can’t do cheating throughout each day with no plan. Trust me, you will forget and think that you weren’t that bad – when in fact you were really bad. While every one of us is different and what we can tolerate is different, when it comes to weight gain I can promise you that if you are overdoing it every day and lose control you will gain weight and it may be more than you can imagine. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]What you need to do is know what your plan is and stick to it. Don’t be influenced by those around you. Always remember no one knows how hard you have worked and what your goals are. You know it and I know it, and if you want to reach your goals you have to stay strong and stick to the plan. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
- Make sure you have what you need to stay on program.
- Make sure you are ready for the sabotages that you will be around.
- Make sure you know your triggers and be prepared for when they are in front of you.
- Most important – don’t set yourself up. If you don’t want it and you don’t need it – SAY NO AND WALK AWAY!
- Look around you and be inspired by those who make their health, body, and mind a priority.
- This weekend you need to prove to yourself how strong you are and what really matters to you AND that you can have fun, enjoy what’s around you – without it always being about food. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY, HEALTHY & SAFE
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
PLAN- PREPARE – FOLLOW THROUGH
~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]
