This time of year is always hard when it comes to weight loss. It starts with Halloween and all of the trick-or-treat candy, then progresses into the Thanksgiving meal-o-plenty, and ends with a steady slide into decadent holiday baked goods and party foods. It’s no wonder so many people start diets on New Year’s Day – you need to detox from all of that excess!
My own weight loss has never been a steady line moving downwards. It’s more like a series of hills, up and down, with smaller ups and greater downs. It takes longer than a straight line, but I can’t argue with the method since despite the small gains each year I’m still 80 pounds lighter than my heaviest weight.
The last three months of the year are what I call my hibernation phase. This is when my workouts and eating habits slack off as I focus on the holidays and the end of the year. I exercise less because I want to spend more time with my family on holiday traditions. I generously partake of Halloween candy, and never miss a chance to fill up on party foods during the Christmas season. And yeah, I gain a few pounds back, too.
Halloween and Christmas are my two favorite holidays – completely restricting myself would only make me miserable. My #1 rule of weight loss is that this is a change for life – if I have to turn down brownies and pastries and cheese balls during the holidays for the rest of my life in order to be at a healthy weight, I can guarantee that I’ll be overweight forever or be the most miserable skinny person you’ve ever met.
So I plan for it. I know I’m going to overeat and I go for the foods I enjoy the most. I try to offset these heavier meals with small, healthy meals or meal replacement shakes/bars (since there aren’t holiday parties every day, right?) and I don’t get too upset at seeing the scale inch up a little.
By the time I’m packing up the Christmas tree and taking down the last of the garlands, I’m usually sick of all of those rich foods and ready for something different. (Yes, it’s true – you really can eat enough cookies to develop a temporary aversion to them!) January is a natural re-commitment to eating healthy and working out, both because I’m burned out on calorie-heavy foods, and it’s now so cold I want to move more just to stay warm!
As for those few pounds I added at the end of the year? As long as it wasn’t more than five pounds (and it rarely is), I shrug it off and consider the joy I had from the holidays worth the small gain.
So far, this plan has worked for me. I’ve lost anywhere from 10-20 pounds each year, and gained 5 at the end of the year. (This year it’s only been 2 pounds gained so far, partially thanks to a stomach virus that swept thru last week.) I’m still coming out ahead, I’m happier, and by taking my weight loss slowly I’m improving the chances it’ll stay off for good.
So if you’re curious about what workouts or meal plans I’m following at the moment, you won’t find anything here. I’m currently in hibernation, enjoying the holidays. Check back with me in January and you can bet I’ll be working towards losing a little more of myself.
