Week of November 28, 2011
How to Avoid the Season of Rationalizing Thoughts and Temptation
We have all been there, done that, and got the T-shirt so-to-speak. But how do we avoid doing the same again this year? I’m talking about not letting ourselves rationalize our unhealthier behaviors, avoid temptation, and maintain our healthy path during the holiday season. Now that one major food-focused holiday is over (Thanksgiving), the season of holiday parties is upon us and most likely you will be invited to at least one of these events (office party, neighborhood party, religious gatherings, family get-togethers, etc.). How is a weight loss surgery patient to get through all of these food-centered functions? How do you stick to your healthy eating plan when tempting, high-fat, high-calorie dishes are the common theme of almost every holiday party? This is a common time for overindulgence, but it doesn’t have to be!
Below we will examine a few common holiday-themed thoughts that you may experience and explore ways to overcome and change your way of thinking to help you stay on your path to health and wellness.
Thought: “The food looks and tastes so good, how can I resist?” We can tell ourselves that the food taste awful, but we all know that will only work for so long. There will be plenty of tempting foods surrounding you this holiday season. Try imagining yourself overindulging and how that makes you feel? If you have already had weight loss surgery, I’m sure you can explain to a pre-op patient how miserable you feel if you overeat or eat the wrong foods. It is worse than the worst overstuffed Thanksgiving-full feeling you can imagine prior to weight loss surgery. Ask yourself, is that taste really worth it? Can you receive the same taste/pleasure from a smaller amount of food? Consider picking your absolute favorites and choosing a small portion of each of those foods.
Thought: “Everyone else is eating. The host(ess) will be offended.” Peer pressure – need I say more. It goes back to something my parents used to say to me (and I’m sure every parent said), “If _______(insert name here)________ jumped off the cliff, would you too?” No, of course not. You know what is important to you! Consider making a list and prioritizing your goals and priorities. If offending the hostess is at the top of the list, then that can be factored in, but most of the time, it is not one of the most important things in your life. There are ways to discretely appear to be eating and not feel like you have to openly announce, “I had weight loss surgery and I don’t want to eat your food.” Consider making a small plate and telling the hostess, I had a late lunch. Offer to bring dish (a healthy one of course) to the event. Choose smaller portions and don’t feel as though you have to be a member of the “clean plate” club. And lastly, it is ok to say “No.” I know that one is a hard one, but one to practice.
Thought: “This special occasion only comes once a year.” Is that really true? Stop and think for a minute, how many times you might catch yourself saying this. Think about how there is some sort of special event almost every month.
- January – New Year’s Day Meals
- February – Valentine’s Day
- April (or close to April) – Easter Dinner
- March – St. Patrick’s Day
- May – Memorial Day Cookouts
- June – Summer BBQs
- July – 4th of July Cookouts
- August – Back to School Parties
- September – Labor Day Cookouts
- October – Halloween
- November – Thanksgiving
- December – Christmas and other Holiday/Religious Festivities
And don’t forget all the special days in-between – wedding anniversaries, birthdays, etc. There seems to always be a reason to say: “it is a special occasion; it is ok.” Stop for a minute and decide how you are going to handle all of the special events in your life and which ones are worth the splurge. When you determine which events you will splurge (slight splurge) on, try to be more active that week, and make sure you get right back to your healthy eating plan right after the event (don’t wait until Monday).
Thought: “I will return to my normal healthy eating plan tomorrow.” I call this the tomorrow or Monday syndrome. We have all done this at some point in our lives. Why is that we feel diets (or exercise or any new behavior change) has to start on Monday? This way of thinking can work if you are realistic in terms of truly starting back the next day (or even better the next meal), but more times than not, I find that tomorrow turns into Monday, which turns into next month. It is ok to allow yourself a little fun (splurge) with your eating plan, but why not go ahead and plan that splurge and then it is not an “off-plan” event.
Thought: “I have to offer dessert to my guests.” Keeping your favorite desserts at home can often mean eating off-plan once the guests leave or even before they get there. Keep some healthier dessert options on-hand if you feel you have to offer dessert. Not every meal has to have dessert either. Discuss this with your guests before they come (if you feel comfortable enough). Remember, most people (at least 50-60% of American women) are trying to eat healthier so there is a good chance your guests might appreciate your gesture towards health and wellness. Also, desserts don’t have to be the typical high-fat, high-sugar, high-calorie options we typically think of. Homemade applesauce is one example of an amazing dessert and it can be made low-calorie!
Overall Plan of Attack. The best offense is a good defense (I know, cheesy sports reference). The best plan of attack for healthy holiday eating and to avoid eating disasters combines both planning and strategizing. We know the common thought patterns (discussed above) and now we need to 1) recognize those thought patterns, 2) discuss ways to overcome that way of thought, and 3) strategize about overcoming our previous ways of thinking.
Identify. Identify all the upcoming situations in your holiday plans. What events will be difficult for you to eat healthfully? Which ones will be easier? Office parties, food while shopping for holiday gifts, family events, any extra baking and cooking at home? How will you plan and overcome these situations?
Plan. Now we know the situations and we have to make a plan. For example:
- Holiday office party – bring a healthy dish that you enjoy
- Holiday shopping – make sure you eat before you go and pack a portable snack high in protein and fiber incase you are out longer than you intended.
- Family events – bring a healthy dish or two that you enjoy; don’t feel burdened to eat Aunt Bea’s Sweet Potato Casserole that is full of fat, sugar, and calories.
- Holiday baking and cooking – consider healthier alternatives when cooking (sugar substitutes, fruit puree for baked goods instead of oil, etc.)
- Budget your calories throughout the day so you can spend an extra 100-200 at a holiday party/event if necessary.
- Burn extra calories on days that you know will be harder in terms of food intake. Try to add 10 minutes of activity to your normal routine, park even further away when doing your holiday shopping, take the stairs instead of the elevators, get off the bus a couple stops early and walk the rest of the way.
- Try to get restful sleep and manage stress. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night and manage holiday stress as best as possible. Both of these factors may contribute to weight gain if one doesn’t get enough sleep and is stressed due to hormonal shifts.
Reward Positive Behavior. Getting through the holidays can be challenging. Consider putting in place a reward system for positive behavior. However, with that said, the rewards should not be food-focused. One example, might be to set aside a pre-determined amount of money every week that you are able to follow your healthy eating plan, then after the holidays consider going out and buying yourself something you have been waiting for that is for just you (maybe a new piece of exercise equipment). Or get your nails done, get a massage, or whatever you enjoy that is not centered on food.
Positiveness is Key. Be realistic and understand that everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect. Did you hear me? NO ONE IS PERFECT! We will all slip and fall at some point of our healthy life plan. Try not to stress or worry yourself about these slips and realize that is part of the plan. We know they will happen, but the most important part of the slip is how you get yourself back on track and how long that takes to happen.
Now that you have a good plan in place and a positive attitude, anything is possible! Remember, you can get through this holiday season without rationalizing behaviors and you can avoid temptations! Happy Holidays and we look forward to CELEBRATING with each of you how you get through the holidays as a weight loss surgery patient!
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Did you know that the Super Bowl is the second largest food consumption day behind Thanksgiving, according to the USDA? The average American consumes about 2,000 calories per day, but during the Super Bowl, many Americans eat this many calories within three hours! This “holiday” can be a little scary for a weight loss surgery patient. Below are a few tips to truly have a SUPER Super Bowl Sunday!
Consider Hosting. Don’t start the game by a false start – consider hosting the big game at your place instead to get you started on the right track. By hosting the super bowl party in your home, you have better control over what foods are served and available. Include healthy snacks and foods that you enjoy. If you are not able to host, consider eating a healthy meal before you go to someone else’s Super Bowl party so you aren’t as tempted by those unhealthy snacks. A few snacks to consider:
Consider Physical Activity. Even though the players are competing, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get in a little extra activity. Consider stretching during timeouts or doing 10 jumping jacks. Make it a competition at your Super Bowl Party. Whoever can do the most jumping jacks (or whatever you deem appropriate, steps as measured by a pedometer, etc.) by the end of each quarter gets a prize! That prize can be something nominal – a new water bottle, a pedometer, etc. Including physical activity during the big game will help you score by burning calories as you watch your team score! Have a dance off during the half-time show. Toss the football around during half time. Lift hand weights, stretch, or use a stationary bike/treadmill while watching the big game.
