Here's some well-timed thoughts from Kim Lyons of Fast Track to Fat Loss.
First key point to remember: you can and should enjoy the holidays. You can enjoy being with family and going out with friends. You can go to holiday parties and have fun.
You can enjoy a few "naughty" meals. You can have some cake and a glass
or two of wine. There's no reason why you can't enjoy yourself AND stay healthy, lean and fit through the holidays. All it takes is some planning, goal-setting, a positive mindset, and little dose of good old-fashioned discipline.
Here's the first of 10 ways that you can follow your nutrition plan and stay in great shape over the holidays without turning into a miserable Scrooge. If you follow this advice, you'll be one of the proud few with a New Year's resolution to be the best you've ever been in 2009 - instead of one of the guilt-ridden many who resolve to reclaim what they lost in 2008.
Ready? Here we go...
#1. Expect to stay on your program over the holidays.
"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" is a time-worn and cliched statement, but it's still some of the best success advice you will ever hear.
Not only do most people fail to plan, they consciously plan to fail over the holidays. Most people expect to "blow" their diet and skip workouts.They expect to eat more, to exercise less and to gain weight. As a result, they don't even make the effort.
Instead of taking control, they resign themselves to "maintenance" at best,or back-sliding at worst. This negative expectancy leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy. By the first week of January, they're in the worst shape they've been in for a year and they frantically make New Year's resolutions to shed the excess fat they've gained.
You can avoid this trap by planning to succeed. Set up a positive expectation. Resolve now that you will not tolerate slipping backwards. Keep your standards up and don't settle! Not only can you plan to "stay in shape"over the holidays, you can plan to improve! All you have to do is make the decision and expect success.
