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.
Before you know it, the holiday season will be in full swing, which can be a stressful thought if you are trying to lose weight or if you are trying not to gain weight. Either way, the mere mention of the word “holidays” can trigger instant panic in our brains. Most likely, you freeze in fear of all of the celebrating with sugary treats and special food that is coming your way. It can feel like a tidal wave of anxiety, and it starts as soon as Halloween candy hits the shelves in stores, which seems earlier every year. It can even discourage you from trying to lose weight at this time of year.
As a health and life coach, I tell my clients that this can be an optimal time for working on weight loss strategies. What??? You see, you can actually focus on your goals to get the results you want during the holidays much more easily than you think! Let’s start with the facts: There are only four holidays for most people between October and January: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. You can substitute your holidays for any of the ones I mentioned to make them more meaningful for you. The point is that between October and January 1st, there are usually only four twenty-four-hour blocks of time that include holidays. So, what’s my point? 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’s91 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 IS possible!
Strategy No1. What do you think about weight loss during the holidays?
Write down your thoughts about this so that you can see what you are choosing to think. This will lead you to really face your thinking head-on. Remember, YOU decide how you think.YOU decide what that means to you. YOU are in control! Did you ever realize that? There’s your power; you get to decide your thoughts. YOU write your own story.
Get curious about WHY you associate weight loss and the holidays in the way that you do. Write down all of your reasons and look at each one. How does this make you feel? What does weight loss during the holidays bring up for you? Face your feelings and clear the brain clutter to make space for the next step. Eliminate the reasons that you know are not going to serve you if you want to shed weight in the next months ahead. This will give you clarity on your chosen pathway forward. The best part is that YOU have the power to decide for yourself.
Strategy No.2 How do you feel about your health during the holidays? What thoughts do you want to change?
Think about if you’d like to feel healthier during the holidays this year and if you are you ready to try something new. This means stepping outside of your comfort zone to get results. This might very well be the first time you’ve thought of trying this, especially at this time of year. WHY NOT? List ONE way to change what you do for better health this season and focus on that. For example, do you want to reduce or eliminate sugar? Do you want to have a treat one day a week instead of every day? Do you want to cut back on your holiday baking to avoid eating it so often? Do you want to make healthier holiday recipes or upgrade your favorite traditional ones with a healthier twist?
Strategy No.3 Take one action step
You have two choices: keep doing what you are doing and stay stuck with more weight on your body than it needs, OR move forward today to figure out how to get the weight loss that you want. I always say that nothing tastes as good as healthy feels!
Action step examples:
Clear the Clutter: Get rid of temptations that might derail you (i.e., a monster-size bag of Halloween candy)
Reprogram diet culture messages (i.e., quick weight loss): Take 91 days to lose the weight, not 9 days.
Remember that there are four days of holidays, not 3 months: Have treats on the day of the holiday.
Elimination reframe: because it serves my body vs. punishment/deprivation
Consider moderation vs. Elimination: which strategy works best for you?
Jump in and start right away! No need for a “last supper”; just start! Set yourself up for success by getting the right foods in your house and removing temptations. It is all about how you treat yourself and how you think about getting healthy, so keep that in mind!
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 to properly fuel 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 at glepage7@me.com 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!
