I love the holidays and I love eating all the good foods. But before I worked on my mindset surrounding food, I struggled to completely enjoy myself without over eating or feeling guilty of my choices the next day. I had an “ all or nothing” mentality, so the second I felt like I had “failed” or had “fallen off the wagon,” I would either allow myself to continue on that pattern or spend the next few days restricting myself and eating less then 1200 calories. That was no way of living and I finally found something that would help me find more freedom.
Being that it’s July 4th, I thought I’d share a couple things I’ve learned and implemented to help me enjoy the Holiday and eat all the good foods without over eating or feeling guilt throughout the day or after. As I share my tips, I want you to remember that it is just 1 day. It will not break you or stop your progress.
1) Drink your water! Fill your water bottle up in the morning and drink it first thing! A Great way to get some water in in the morning and help your digestion and hydrate before a busy, fun day is to drink some warm lemon water. If you’re looking for more benefits and reasons to drink some warm lemon water, check out this post. Try and keep your water bottle with you throughout the day to stay hydrated and to keep you feeling full instead of reaching for snacks all day. If you’re unsure of how much water you should drink throughout each day, take your weight and divide it by 2 and that is the amount of ounces you need each day. Grab my favorite water jugs here
2) Move your body! Keeping active at the beginning of your day or throughout can help to keep the food moving in your body and keep you feeling energized! One of my favorite ways to get a workout in is to do a program from my favorite online platform, Team Beach Body. I’m currently doing a program with some other gals called Fire and Flow. It’s the first of its kind of program devoted to transforming your physical and mental well-being, alternating high-intensity workout days with low-impact, body-shaping recovery days to see real, sustainable results, reduce stress, and finally fall in love with fitness. I’ve been loving the journal included with the program full of prompts to help you connect your mind to the workouts. Choosing to move your body with others throughout the day is a great way to get a killer workout and have a blast. You could go hiking with the family, Kayak, take a walk with the family, go swimming in the lake or the pool, or run around with the kids field day style to name just a few. * ps super pumped about the results I’m seeing in my postpartum journey!
3) Don’t skip meals or snacks throughout the day! I used to do this to save up my calories for the bigger meal or the event, but this caused me to be so hungry when I got to the event or sat to eat that I didn’t make the best choices and I almost always over ate. Fueling your body throughout the day with smaller, healthier meals will keep you from making poor choices just because you’re famished. One of my top tips as you think through your food throughout the day is to make sure you start the day off with an awesome breakfast packed with protein and fiber. Protein at breakfast can help your energy and blood sugar stable throughout the day and the fiber, well it’ll help you clear out a few things 😉 to give your stomach room for all the yummy foods! As for snacks throughout the day, reach for healthier options like Greek yogurt, fruit and veggies.
4) Quality over Quantity! Know the items that you for sure want to eat at the bbq, dinner, event, and prioritize those items as you fill your plate and as you think about food throughout the day. For instance: If I’m going to a bbq, I know 100% I want a burger and maybe a brat with buns. As I go through my day I make food and snack choices with the knowledge that I’ll want the carbs at dinner time, so I may not want as many throughout the day. Know that Portions are your friend! Learning how to portion out the foods that you’ll need throughout your day to fuel your body well is helpful in allowing you to enjoy all your favorites but in a way that you’re mindfully nourishing your body.
5) Know and limit the foods that are easiest for you to overeat . Everyone has that one food that they are almost always drawn too. I am against the thought of depriving yourself because more often then not it will back fire on you. Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite dessert or snack, but give yourself limits.
6) Limit the Alcohol. When you increase the alcohol amount you’re consuming, you also increase your hunger. Drinking can actually activate the same part of the brain as hunger and has been linked to binge eating. Not only that, but Alcoholic drinks can cause you to be less mindful of the foods you are eating or putting in your mouth. Another thing to think about when consuming alcohol is the amount of sugar and calories you are drinking, along with those that you are eating. Looking for a lower calorie alcohol drink… try these!
7)Focus on your family and friends versus letting the day be all about food! Unlike other days where we might have to scarf our food down, this is an occasion where you can just be present and enjoy! Slow down as your eating, chat with your family and friends and let your body cue your brain to tell you it is full. This can sometimes take about 20ish mins, so keep that in mind.
Hope those tips can help you as you continue throughout today or in helping you make smarter choices in the future! Stay Safe and Enjoy!
