Yes, the festive season is officially in full swing! But… is the thought of being surrounded by food, chocolates, and drinks not filling you with festive cheer? Here are our pro tips to help you make it through Christmas and New Year without undoing all your fantastic progress so far.
Set Weekly Goals
Write down some clear and achievable weekly goals to keep you on track. Stick them on your bathroom mirror or, better yet, your fridge door where you can see them every day. That way you’ll have a plan you can see and you’ll want to stick to it – but do be realistic, it’s going to be a challenging few weeks ahead.
Be Consistent
Escalation is what we want to avoid here so, if you know you’re going to face a festive tipple or buffet, make sure you stick to LighterLife Foodpacks for the rest of the day. It’s about being prepared and making the best possible choice you can. If you think it might help (and not add to the stress) you could try using a calorie calculator to choose better food or drink options.
Think Positive
If you do end up going off plan for a couple of days, remember it’s not the end of the world. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s not going to undo all your hard work to date. Pick yourself up and get back on track, don’t dwell on any lapses. And don’t let crooked thinking tell you, “Oh well, I’ve slipped now so I may as well indulge.” Download our free Tracker to help you stay focused.
Friends and Family
At this time of year, television, magazines, and shops are bursting with Christmas treats, festive goodies and winter warmers being advertised. Christmas is the busiest time of the year for retailers and they really do go all out to tempt us into splurging on food and drink. But the true meaning of Christmas is about reflecting on and celebrating what’s really important – family, friends, and your health. Try and switch the focus from food and drink onto the people who matter, including yourself.
Water of Life
Our NHS recommends the average person drink between 1.2 – 2 litres of water per day. This may not be enough for you so drink little and often, and whenever you’re thirsty. The more you drink the fuller you’ll feel, and that will help stop you snacking or grazing absent-mindedly instead. Not everyone loves plain water but our drink mixes – Pink Grapefruit, Sunrise Orange, and Fruits of the Forest – are an easy way to make it tastier. Tip: add a mix to some sparkling water in a champagne flute on Christmas day – who says you can’t celebrate in style?
Plan Ahead
We know it can be hard to stay on track at this time of year but one of the ways you can feel more in control is with our 2-Step Plan – find out more here.
And if you decide to go off-plan this Christmas, you can still make good food choices. Use a smaller plate, fill half of it up with vegetables, including boiled potatoes not roasted, and cut all the fat off your meat.
Try these tips to get you back on track:
- Stop – When you’re faced with a big bill, you don’t react by going on a spending spree, do you? You spend less to rebalance your budget. It’s the same with food, so treat your off-plan time in the same way – acknowledge it, and deal with it.
- Think – Review your weight loss plan and goals. Remember your why, and your commitment to changing your life. Don’t let crooked thinking sabotage what you really want. Listen to yourself and then challenge those thoughts, either with some new strategies, or focus on tools that have worked in the past.
- Listen – Be kind to yourself, don’t beat yourself up for your lapse. This helps stop the vicious cycle of feeling bad because you ate off-plan, then eating because you feel bad you ate, and on and on and on…. Instead, give yourself permission to pick a date to get restarted, and stick to it.
Ask For Help
You’re not alone with LighterLife. Stay in contact with your Mentor and group, join our Facebook community if you haven’t already done so, and make sure you explain to anyone you’re spending time with over the festive period how they can help you. Download our ultimate Christmas Survival 2023 for even more tips and tricks to help you through the month.
