Staying strong in the face of temptations

Holiday gatherings are knocking on our doors and if we don’t plan ahead, then we might as well just call it quits. Winning any battle starts way before you get to the battlefield and the same is true for us desperate dieters.

It starts at the grocery store and in our kitchens. It even starts in our bedrooms as the lack of sleep creates havoc on our sugar cravings and decimates our motivation level. I know from experience that when I get enough quality sleep, I’m better able to resist foods that add no nutritious value. The opposite is true. When I don’t sleep well, I crave sweets and comfort foods all day long.

I have found that the more weapons we have under our belt, the more chance we have of winning our battles. Combining good sleep with sound eating and daily movement makes all the difference in the world. Notice I called exercise ‘daily movement’ because sometimes the thought of ‘Exercise’ makes me so tired.

Changing the mindset

I’m more likely to get up and take a walk or dance to my favourite beat if I think of it as a fun activity. I also tell myself that I’m just doing five to 10 minutes which inadvertently turns into 30 minutes after my body is warmed up. It’s the starting that’s difficult for most of us. We tend to have the “All or Nothing” mentality and miss out on the benefits of short sporadic activity.

One of the best things we can do to set ourselves up for success is to determine ahead of time to be our own best advocates. Just like a helmet protects a soldier’s head from injury, so does our mindset protect us from losing the battle of the bulge. It starts in our head as we begin visualising what it looks like to stay strong.

Preparing ahead of time

Before going to social events, I picture myself talking to friends and enjoying the conversation. Catching up on people’s news can be fun. It’s also important to be realistic and face the truth. Remind yourself that if you’re ravenous and your stomach is running on empty then you surely won’t enjoy socialising. You’re also more likely to eat from every selection and even help yourself to seconds. Knowing that ahead of time prepares you in advance to do things to strengthen your position.

These fortifications include drinking enough water and eating some nuts ahead of time so you can be strong enough to make better choices. Keep in mind that filling up on veggies helps quiet the hunger monster so take advantage of every variety you can think of. Eating fruits and vegetables and aiming for the colours of the rainbow provides us with much needed vitamins and minerals.

The good news is that the more we include them in our meals the more our body starts to crave them. They also satisfy our sweet tooth and we’re less likely to cave in when they serve that birthday cake.

Here’s to gearing up for the holiday season fully armoured for any food attacks that come our way!

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine