Written by: Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
T’is the season…soon enough! As we settle into fall, there’s no denying what is headed our way as the holidays get closer and closer. This is my most exciting time of year as a health and life coach as I work with people to lose weight during a time of year that many consider to be impossible and difficult, yet I see so much opportunity and possibility that it has become something that I live by and I show others how to do the same. You see, it’s all about the mindset that you choose to embrace no matter what everyone else thinks, says or does. Ready for a new way to be healthy right now by not waiting until January 1st for damage control? Follow these 3 ways to reframe your thoughts about weight loss during the holidays and watch how successful you are with getting weight loss results among celebrations and traditions!
1. Adopt the word “healthy lifestyle” and ditch the word “diet”
The first three letters of the word DIET spell die. Let me say that again. The first three letters of the word DIET spell die. The word die means to end, to be finished, to terminate. Therefore, when we say that we are on a “diet”, we tell ourselves that there is a beginning and an end and that once we reach the end, we can go back to our old ways. This way of thinking is not productive and does not move us into long-lasting habits. In fact, it indicates a temporary nature from the very first day. We justify a “diet” when we want to achieve a short-term goal: fitting into a wedding dress, going on a cruise, attending a special event such as a reunion, looking good in the Christmas card picture, or wearing a bathing suit on a beach trip. When we set our end goal of one event or occasion, it carries the assumption that once we reach the goal, everything will magically stay the same without the work it took to get us there and possibly with returning to “pre-diet” habits. I offer the thought of looking at your weight loss as a lifestyle. That includes what you eat to fuel your body and how you move to keep your body active. This small mindset shift is critical to train your brain to look at long-term goals that require ongoing healthy habits and effort. It also programs your brain to identify as someone who lives a healthy lifestyle instead of being a dieter. The self-talk that you do goes a long way to creating long-lasting success that becomes automatic on a daily basis. You have the power to transform your mind and body with positive and loving messages with a commitment to a lifetime of good health.
2. Be honest about what the holiday season really is
The typical holidays beginning in the fall are only 4 days for most people: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. Yes, not everyone celebrates these 4 holidays, but in the USA, most people do. You can substitute your holidays for any of the ones I mentioned to make it more meaningful for you. The point is that between October and January 1st, there are usually only 4 twenty-four hour blocks of time that include holidays. The biggest thing to realize is that we tell our brains to go all out for the months of October, November, and December just because it’s the “holidays”. Pause and let that set in! That’s 91 days of celebration which we’ve convinced ourselves should include lots of unhealthy eating just because we’re in the “holiday spirit”! WOW! Most of us get caught up in this mindset so easily. But why? Why do we let anything yummy and sweet be eaten in excess for 3 months? Why do we get caught up in the “holiday season” this way? Good question! It’s a habit! I invite you to think about it differently this year and to take control of how you want to think about the holidays in a way that will support your weight loss. That’s right...weight loss during the holidays! Plan your healthy eating as if there is no end in sight and allow for some flexibility on each holiday, but not for a whole 3 months. You will be amazed at how you look at holidays ever again. This also applies to any celebration, birthday, or holiday during the calendar year outside of the fall season. It will change your outlook of any special day and will support your healthy eating habits to keep you healthy and happy.
3. Ditch perfection and adopt an “-ish” approach
I speak to you from the heart here with years of experience of trying to be perfect at so many things, especially with my eating habits. I am happy to now be a reformed perfectionist, but I did not get here easily or overnight. Perfectionism is the fear of judgment from others or disapproval and is the need to set unrealistic goals and expectations on ourselves in order to please people. There are many factors that experts attribute to perfectionism which can differ from person to person. Many perfectionists are self-proclaimed while others carry it from traumatic experiences and lifelong influence from others. As adults, we have the power to flip the script on needing for how we look, how we eat, how we exercise, and how we do everything to please others so that we can live with what I call an “-ish” approach. I use this suffix a lot when I speak because it seems like such an accurate way to describe giving yourself permission not to be perfect. People who know me hear me use “-ish” often and it empowers me to be flexible with myself every time I say it. For example, instead of eating every meal exactly as you planned, you might try eating a holiday-ish meal to allow for a slight “off track” deviation which would not derail your weight loss efforts but would allow you a little wiggle room for a particular holiday meal or event. As long as you have healthy boundaries around your eating, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to hop back on track in a more structured way once you’ve had an “-ish” moment. When you allow yourself to have a little freedom around how you fuel your body once in a while, it erases the restriction mentality that is often short-lived and can work against your long-term goals. You get to set the parameters around your “-ish” eating habits and you get to plan for them with anticipation and kindness towards yourself, which is also critical. Treating yourself with kindness and gentleness will make all of the difference as you improve your health. It makes you feel honored, respected, and worthy.
If you are ready to enjoy the holidays with your health as more of a focus, you’ve come to the right place and the time to start is NOW! I can help you ditch the belief that overindulging is something that you deserve. I can help you to reframe old habits of making dozens of cookies and eating more than you should in order to switch to properly fueling your body. And most importantly, I can help you figure out why you self-sabotage at this time of year. I listen to you, I offer strategies, and I guide you through the journey. Ready to join me? Contact me here to learn more! Make this holiday season healthier for your mind and body! Cheers to a healthy and happy holiday season!
Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette's energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!
