by Aimee Wojtowecz
‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and food—lots of food. Temptations are everywhere, and parties and travel disrupt daily routines. What’s more, it goes on for weeks.
But how do you stay on track when everyone around you seems to be splurging? You need to make a plan!
If you have ever felt derailed or experienced weight gain during the holiday season, know that you are not alone! A scientific review article found that various studies define this holiday season as starting around Thanksgiving and ending the second week of January. In this review they found in studies of adults, a significant weight gain of just about 1kg or 2.2# was consistently observed during this period. So, if most people, whether they are aiming to lose weight or not, are gaining weight, you may be wondering how you can enjoy the holidays AND still stay on track to achieve your goals.
Today we bring you the first of 5 easy yet effective tips to help you navigate the hustle and bustle the season brings.
Tip #1: Remember your Why!
Behind every goal, there is an emotion of how we want to feel when we achieve that goal.
For instance, when we work with nutrition clients looking to lose weight there is a reason why they want to lose weight.
Typically, they tell us they want to feel more confident in their skin and have more energy.
So why is our WHY important enough to be Tip#1?
One study explored the interconnections between goal-setting and individual personality factors.
For 10 weeks, 41 participants received goal plans that were either set by supervisors or chosen by the participants themselves, and the results revealed that:
Participants with a greater understanding of why the goal was necessary for them had more chances of being successful with the target plans.
So take a moment to write down your goal and then answer “WHY” 3 times..
Here is an example:
Goal: I want to lose 10 pounds
- Why?: So I can fit into those old clothes in the back of my closet.
- Why are those clothes so important?: I see pictures of myself wearing them and I think they look really good…
- Why is wearing those clothes and looking good important?: If I lose 10# and fit back into those clothes I will feel more comfortable and confident in my own skin.
The goal is to continuously check in about why “that goal” is so important. This will lead to us truly understanding that strong emotional connection. For some it may take only 3 lines and others may need more. Keep asking yourself why until you find the answer that truly resonates with your emotions.
Once you uncover and understand your why, think about writing that down somewhere or having a symbol in a place that you will see it every day as a reminder to keep you motivated.
Maybe you write it on a piece of paper that goes on the fridge or your mirror. Somewhere that you can be reminded of your why multiple times a day.
That’s our holiday tip of the week. Come back soon for navigating a healthy holiday tip number 2!
If you are looking for additional help to dive into your nutrition to reach those short and long term goals, be sure to schedule a free intro today to get started!