It’s not just you. MOST of us end up eating more sugar, drinking more alcohol, missing more workouts, and eating fewer vegetables at this time of year. We THINK the problem is that we’ve lost our motivation. But I don’t think we stop wanting to weigh less just because it’s the holidays.
It’s just that our usual routines get thrown into the blender. Travel, extra obligations, and disruptions in our schedule eat into our usual exercise times. Meal planning and grocery shopping fall by the wayside. And there are so many more opportunities to indulge.
If we fall short of our usual standard, we feel like we’ve failed, which drains our ambition even further and it quickly turns into an ugly downward spiral.
The solution is to redefine what success looks like at this time of year. Think about what you really need and what feels possible. What do you want to remember most when it’s all over? What are you most looking forward to? What could you skip without really missing it? How do you want to feel on New Year’s Day?
Holiday success might mean:
- getting to the gym once a week without fail instead of your usual three times–and sneaking in more 20 minute walks
- doing a short yoga video at home on Saturday morning instead of your usual 75 minute class at the studio.
- keeping it to 5 drinks a week instead of your usual 2
- allowing yourself a little extra sugar but only for treats that are truly worthy
- relaxing your no-eating-after-8 rule but NOT your no-eating-in-front-of-the-TV rule
- not gaining weight between now and New Year’s.
Having a clear holiday ambition and a realistic plan for how you’re going to make it happen fuels success, which fuels motivation.
What’s your ambition for this holiday season? How will you define success?