With just a hop skip and a jump you will be on Holiday Break. As fast as it arrives it will be gone. So make sure you enjoy every second of it and do tithe way that will make you the happiest – with No Regrets.
Here are some Holiday Tips and Advice I would like to share with you:
- Whether you are on the beach, the mountain or home you should be drinking water throughout the day. Dehydration can cause hunger, headaches, constipation and fatigue. Plan your water intake throughout the day. for example a great practice is to drink an 8oz bottle of water when you wake up first thing. Your body is dehydrated from sleep and the activities from the night before – whatever that may have been. So wake up and drink. Every time you plan a meal or a snack drink 8 oz of water before you eat. You will not only consume less but you will feel and look so much better throughout the day. ** Did you know that alcohol and caffeine are diuretics. If you are drinking alcohol or any caffeinated drinks – make sure you have a glass of water in between every drink.
- Stay of the gym BUT stay active on Vacation. You want to change it up of your mind and body and vacation is the perfect time to do that. On the mountain go skiing, sledding, shoe walking, or horseback riding. On the beach take a long walk or jog on the sand. Go swimming. Do an outdoor yoga or bootcamp. Enjoy your surroundings and plan activities according to the weather you are in. If you are staying home with the family play hide and seek or tag. Go bowling or ice skating. Take long walks in the park or go hiking. It will be enjoyable and nice change for the mind body and great family time.
- Always always plan your meals and snacks. Regardless on vacation or home you need to plan your meals and snacks because believe it or not while it’s uncomfortable to over do it at home it’s even worse to over do it on vacation. Whether you are home or on Vacation you want to choose one of the following to keep you on track:
- STAY ON PROGRAM: and follow your 6 clean days and 1 cheat day. If you do this you will of course lose weight and feel great. Plan your food and snacks in advance each day. if you are drinking then that is your snacks. if you follow the 6/1 I would recommend having your cheat day at the end of the week before you go home. All week long you can make a list of the foods/snacks/desserts you see that you want try on your cheat day. If you save the Cheat Day for right before you return you will have a much better chance of sticking to the 6 clean days.
- SPLIT THE HOLIDAYS: We have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and New years eve and New Years Day. If you split them and stay clean all day and only off at night – Dinner and Drinks or Dinner and Dessert. You do it for both Holidays with super clean days in between. You will absolutely maintain but for many will still have a great chance of losing if you have SHARK DAYS in between.
- MAINTAIN YOUR VACATION: If you feel you need the break from the everyday mindsets vacation is a good time to take advantage of it. Whether you are homer away you will choose one meal and one dessert/drinks each day. The remainder of the day keep clean. So for example you might do Muffin for breakfast and bar for lunch and then cheat dinner and dessert/or drinks (desserts are your drinks. The next day you might decide to cheat at breakfast and eat clean the rest of the day with cheat dessert. It’s up to you to choose each day your cheat. The key is not to have a full cheat day that week. You come home and you go right back on program. No scale. You go back on program for one week and then you go on the scale and you will see your pre-vacation weight.
While I wish food and drinks didn’t play such a big part in how we feel – the reality is it does. And Im a big believer in addressing things rather than ignoring them. Since what we eat and drink affects our mindset and personality, I think it’s super important to think through how you want to feel and what is going to make you happy. Do not cheat everyday if you by mid week you will be miserable because that will use make everyone you are with miserable. As hard as it may feel to stay on program – think about how hard it will be to feel bloated and uncomfortable in your own skin. In not suggesting you stay 110% clean on vacation. I know you all so well that I really believe there is a different option for each one of you. But what I am telling you is that while going off program makes you feel free of stress and structure – if you over do it you will begin to feel uncomfortable and out of control and I don’t want you to have that feeling on your vacation. Think about it and plan how often you can cheat and still feel okay. Because when you start out in a bathing suit or snow pants and end up mid week in a cover up or feeling like frosty you have to be okay with it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Remind yourself two things. It doesn’t matter how amazing you were up to this point. You will feel the effects of daily over doing it and you will feel it quickly. Smoke the choices because this vacation isn’t only about you it’s about your family and what mood they have to deal with when you lose control. I know it’s the harsh reality but I’m telling you now so you don’t look back and feel like you should have made different choices. You have all been on vacation before and you know what it does to you mentally and physically the you are consistently off program. Some are okay with it and can just deal with the affects of it and go right back on program when they return — others will let it ruin the holiday/vacation mid way through. Don’t do it. this year you are going to THINK BEFORE YOU ACT and make sure your choices are what is good for you and all those you love. And always remember if you lose control and you realized you over did it and start to feel uncomfortable there is a simple solution – the very best thing to do is regardless of where you are you just go right back on program to a 110% shark day. After one solid day back on program you will feel so much better. We are always here for you if you need guidance – simply reach out. Remember this isn’t about being perfect it’s about being happy.
HAPPINESS LOOKS AMAZING ON EVERYONE!
