Thinking about holiday weight loss?
Let’s distract you with a game first…..
Quick!
What’s the first image that pop’s into your head when thinking about the holiday season?
I’ll give you five seconds.
5………4………3……2…….1.
So what did you think of?
I’m betting that you thought of one of the following:
- Food
- Gifts
- Decorations
- Cold Weather
- Family
Can you guess what all five have in common?
I’ll give you another five seconds to guess…
5………4………3……2…….1.
Believe it or not all five of those potential thoughts are causes of holiday stress.
And can you guess what doesn’t happen when you’re stressed out?
Holiday Weight Loss!
In the midst of our holiday celebrations, travels and eating decisions, we easily start packing on the pounds. That’s why the holiday season is such a tough time of the year to actually lose weight. Even maintaining weight can be difficult with all the distractions.
Let’s explore exactly why holiday weight loss is so hard for travelers.
Work Holiday Parties
Who doesn’t like a good party?
The Hero Of This Book Sure Loved Holiday Parties!Too bad typical holiday parties are nothing more than an excuse to eat as many baked goods as possible! Think about it. How many healthy dishes do you typically see at a holiday office party?
Have you ever seen a tray of lean grilled chicken breasts with no sauce?
How about a bowl of steamed veggies?
Nope, you’re not going to see many vegetables at a holiday party unless they’re covered in cheese or breading.
Baked goods run the show at office parties. It’s been that way for years. If baked goods are the highlights of the party, then the opening acts are typically greasy, sweet and salty but delicious.
You know the culprits: meatballs, chicken wings, fried chicken, casseroles, cheese platters, chips & dip, etc.
And guess what happens to the leftovers?
They’ll be around the work office for a few days and/or you’ll end up taking your leftovers home and feel obligated to polish them off.
Who’s going to lose weight eating all those cakes, cookies and pieces of honey glazed ham?
Days Get Darker
The holiday season is the beginning of seasonal change from fall into winter. What use to be sunny days upon awakening have now turned into the black abyss of darkness.
Is nothing more depressing than leaving for work in the dark and than coming home….in the dark! That work cycle can easily lead to depression.
So what do depressed people like to do?
EAT!
Its Cold Outside
The holiday season is also when the weather starts to finally (thanks global warming!) settle down and stay colder. When faced with colder elements, who out there craves a crisp cold salad?
Naw, when it’s cold outside we want some comfort foods. Give us soups and stews. We want classic staples that make us feel warm inside.
Too bad the majority of our comfort foods are filled with carbs and fats. That lethal combination makes it hard to stay lean in the waist!
So Many Holidays In A Row
People tend to think of the holiday season as starting after Thanksgiving and lasting until New Year’s Day. I have a different opinion. I believe that the holiday season actually starts on Halloween.
Why?
That’s the first taste of the seasons “forbidden” fruit. As kids, we would get our first big score of candy and devour it as soon as possible. That’s the start of us craving sugar during the season.
By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, we use that craving to eat as much goodies as possible, which snowballs into eating binges for the remainder of the holiday season.
If sugar is the focal point of your eating for almost three straight months, you’re not going to lose weight! There’s just too much temptation around.
We Travel
If you’re a traveling professional, you already know how hard it is to travel.
For those unfamiliar with traveling every month, they get a good glimpse into the traveling lifestyle during the holiday season. If you are not properly educated and equipped to handle life on the road, you’re doomed to pack on the pounds.
Add in the explosive variable of visiting relatives and you got a mathematical equation for weight gain instead of holiday weight loss. No matter how much you love your family, traveling during the holiday season can be VERY STRESSFUL!
Traveling Examples:
- Waiting lines at the airport….
- Traffic on the highway…..
- Trying to find that perfect gift……
- Getting out of your normal routine……
And the reason you get to travel is because your probably on a…
Holiday Vacation
Vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing. You’re away from your job and just want to enjoy yourself. What’s the easiest way to embrace this freedom?
You over indulge!
You typically do not hold back from eating goodies when you’re on holiday vacation mode. Your mind shifts and you justify everything you do. You move at a slower pace, which causes you to not be in a hurry.
What sounds like a good thing can easily backfire on you. Because of the lower relaxed lifestyle you’ll find it easier to be lazier than you planned on being.
A lazy person typically will do what’s easy. The easiest thing to do during the holiday season is to gain lots of weight!
So What’s The Answer
Now that you know why it’s so hard to lose weight, what do you plan on doing about it?
Will you just cave in and cry while eating some candy canes and a tub of caramel popcorn while your blood sugar goes sky high?
If you don’t want to be a victim of the holiday season, I highly recommend you read this #1 best-selling book
Even though it appears that holiday weight lose is difficult , it can be done!
With a proper mental attitude and a support system, you can easily stay on track to accomplish holiday weight loss.
Remember, there’s nothing wrong about having fun during the holiday seasons. Just be sure that you understand the difference between an occasional indulgence and over doing it like Santa with his massive cookie binge!
