Slay the Holiday! 5 Tips to stay on the Trim Healthy Mama Plan during the holidays

Head Coach Kris Honeycutt

Friends!

It is the holiday season and it’s time to get your game face on. Everywhere you look you see cookies, fudge, mashed potatoes, pie and more.

They are calling your name! And you know what? You don’t have to answer. Really, you don’t.

If you’ve been on plan for a while, you’ve come so far, my friend. Why sabotage yourself now? This goal is important and you have invested time and money into staying on track.

If you’re just starting out and want to get through the Holidays without gaining the extra holiday pounds and avoid the ill effects of junky eating: “Good on you Mate!” as Pearl and Serene would say.

Yes, it can be done.

You may be thinking, “How? It’s so hard to resist all those treats and holiday comfort food...they’re everywhere!”

Be encouraged! Not only is it possible to enjoy Trim Healthy holidays, but it’s much more doable than you think.

I am giving you my top POWERFUL tips, not just to get through the holidays, but to SLAY the holidays and find yourself gaining ground instead of losing ground.

1. Master your Mindset

Successful weight loss starts with your mind. You can try to change your circumstances all day long, but that is only sustainable for as long as your willpower will hold out.

We think we need willpower to make changes, but science tells us that willpower only works in the short-term. Like if you’re at a party, willpower might help you avoid all the fatty foods on the buffet, but it may not be available down the line when it’s time for dessert.

Plus, you make decisions about your eating, your lifestyle all day long, especially during the holidays. By the end of the day, your decision-making skills totally decline - It’s why we often start out the day on track but slide by the end of the day. Changing your thinking will get you off that decision fatigue train and right back on track.

Lasting changes start with right thinking. How do I change my stinking thinking about myself, my body, and losing weight?

It starts with learning to manage your mind. Not an easy task but a powerful tool. Managing your mind starts with AWARENESS of what you are actually thinking in each moment.

Your thoughts may be sabotaging you and you probably aren’t even aware of it. They’re so automatic, we often aren’t aware that they’re happening.

Or maybe you do know it but you have no idea what to do about it. Change starts with observing your thoughts around food and the holidays and then choosing your thoughts about it.

Lose the all or nothing mindset! Here are some all or nothing thoughts-

“If I’m only eating out one less time this week, then what’s the point of even trying?”
“One less soda isn’t going to do anything?”
“How is switching from sugar to on plan sweetener going to help?”
“I can’t spend all my time in the kitchen preparing, it just won’t work for me.”

This mindset slams the door on progress. Every little victory counts. Remember, it is progress and not perfection. It is about sustainability, not setting ourselves up for failure.

Action Steps:

1. Write down all the thoughts you are presently thinking about staying on plan during the holiday. Record all your fears, objections and excuses.
   Write down a list of how you want to feel… empowered, self-controlled, satisfied, ect.
2. Choose the thought that lines up with the above feelings. Ex. “ I am the girl that is equipped to stay on plan during the holiday.” or “ I will give myself grace as I learn to nourish my body.”
   

   Rehearse those truth statements daily

2. Make a Sustainable Commitment!

Commit to staying on Plan throughout this season and what that looks like for you. Maybe you’re not 100% on plan, maybe you’re 50% or maybe your commitment is no off-plan desserts. Start where you are and what is sustainable for you.

The key to staying committed is to…. Remember your why! How important is keeping your blood sugar balanced, reducing inflammation and feeding your body whole foods so that you can lose weight and feel great? The most significant predictor of whether we will stick to our plan is if we feel we need to stick with it. Once the need is gone- we are too.

Action Steps:

1. Write down all the reasons why losing weight/staying on plan is important to you.
2. Read it daily. Post it all around you. Constantly remind yourself of why you’re all in.
3. What is a sustainable plan for you? Write it down. You want to create a feeling of “I can do this”. Start with what you can do.

3. Get Prepared

If you're planning to spend your holidays away from your own home, call your host ahead of time and ask what's on the menu. Most of the time when eating out or away from home, it is easier to choose low carb meals/Satisfying meals. Prepare an on plan main or side dish and bring it to share.

Action Steps:

1. Find an on plan dessert and bring it to share. There are an abundance of delicious desserts to choose from.
2. Make yourself up a sipper or a hot THM drink to curb the cravings.
3. Prep an emergency snack grab bag to keep on hand for those busy and unexpected pop-ups. Keep these in a lunch bag in your fridge. Here are some of my go to’s:
   • Chomps beef/turkey sticks +Low fat mozzarella cheese sticks
   • THM Fuel Pull bar or personal choice bar
   • Cut up veggies + hummus or guacamole
   • Joseph’s Pita
   • Skinny pop
   • THM PB muffins
   • Apple slices + 1 Tsp cashew butter
   • 100 Calorie pack nuts
   • Lean deli meat roll-ups
   • Triple zero yogurt or Gluccie puddings
   • Freeze-dried fruit
   • Lily’s chocolate or THM chocolate chips
4. Plan ahead what you will and won’t eat and how much. For instance, if you are planning a crossover meal, decide ahead of time what that will look like. If you are eating an off-plan item, decide ahead of time what it will be and how much you will have.
5. Plan your meal before and after the holiday meal. I suggest having a Fuel Pull meal prior to your celebration meal and to follow with a Deep S. If you not familiar with these, check out The Plan Book Chapter 5 and Chapter 11.

4. Grace Yourself and Get Back On It

If you do decide to deviate from your plan, don’t let shame and guilt have a voice. Nothing ever productive comes from a place of shame and guilt. Forgive yourself, shake it and recall your WHY. You have a new opportunity to get back on it in 3 hours. Don’t let one off-plan meal keep you from your goals.

5. Random Tips

• Tote a festive mug of tea or on plan cocoa to sip on
• Chew sugar-free gum, add mint flavor or oil to water, or snack on sour foods like pickles (this can curb cravings)
• Fill up on veggies before you go to your meal
• Consider choosing a crossover- they are on plan!
• Download the free Classic THM Holiday Recipe collection for ideas
• Watch your portion sizes, use a smaller plate
• Count the cost. Ask yourself, “Is what I am about to put in my mouth going to worth it?” or “Is this going to serve my body?” and “How will I feel afterward?”
• Check out this powerful tool of how to allow urges from my favorite life coach