How to position yourself for success on the 4th of July
Or any holiday or special occasion for that matter.
First and foremost - please don’t “save calories”.
Too often, we skip meals, or eat something light, to “save room” for a special meal.
While, it’s not wrong to modify meals to keep your day as macronutrient balanced as possible, in what world does it make sense to enter into an environment FULL of highly processed foods, tables of crockpots and coolers of alcohol?
Do you think that depriving yourself of food all day will result in you controlling your portions?
For 98% of the population, you are setting yourself up for overindulgence. Unless you’re a ridiculously disciplined professional in the fitness and nutrition space, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to be presented with a bevy of endless options without overdoing it. Deprivation ALWAYS leads to overindulgence.
Here’s five things you can do to better position yourself for success:
Start the morning with a high protein, healthy breakfast. This will help you feel full and satisfied throughout the day, decreasing the likelihood you’ll go full-tilt-boogie the evening of the 4th of July celebration.
HYDRATE - not only does water contain zero calories, it reduces appetite, water retention and assists with digestion. It will also help counteract some of those less than pleasurable feelings you have the morning after a night of one too many adult beverages.
Go for a 30 minute walk in the morning before you get your day started - doing this will increase your mood, burn calories and provide you with some Vitamin D.
Mentally plan what you’re going to enjoy - if you drink alcohol, set a two to three drink limit. If your cousin Shirley makes the BEST Special K bars - have one! You can have one, and it doesn’t “wreck” anything.
Go for the fruit and veggie trays - loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber, it’s tough to overindulge on whole foods!
Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite foods - you’re not going to gain fat in one day! Just because you’re on a journey for a healthier you, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little dessert with your family and loved ones.
Remember - go easy on yourself and give yourself grace - if you end up indulging a bit more than you planned - accept it, and MOVE ON. Don’t starve yourself the next day, don’t “punish yourself” by spending extra time at the gym. The “all-or-nothing” mentality does NOT work for sustainable fat loss.
If you’re someone who’s always “starting on Monday” - we would love to chat with you. Our 1:1 Nutrition Coaching program provides tailor made solutions for YOU, to heal your relationship with food, stop the fad dieting, and what you need to get the body you WANT and DESERVE!