How to Get Your Diet Back on Track After Thanksgiving

We all know that the Thanksgiving holiday is no longer restricted to just Thanksgiving Day. It has morphed into a week-long gluttony-fest that runs from the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving all the way to the Monday after.

It begins as we must take the Wednesday before off to prepare for the next day. We then spend that day eating the food we are preparing and cap it off with a night of revelry that usually involves copious amount of alcohol and calorie-laden appetizers. And for many of us, that becomes our daily routine for the week. That is the recipe (pun intended) for unwanted weight gain, not to mention GI tract issues.

This “falling off the diet wagon” also has the potential to compound itself when you think about what’s just around the corner…a weeks-long gluttony-fest that runs from Christmas week through New Year’s Day. Ugh, what’s a weak-willed person to do? Well, here’s a few things you can try to get your post-Thanksgiving diet back on track and keep it there…

• Make a written contract with yourself with your signature and witnesses. The act of putting something in writing that you plan on doing (no, WILL do) can have a motivating aspect. It’s like a binding contract of some kind even though there are no legal repercussions if you break it, which you won’t! And your signature at the bottom seals the deal, as the titans of business say.

  This contract can be quite simple… “I, (your name) will not gain a single pound between now and January 2, 2023 and here’s how I will achieve that goal…” Then, you take if from there. Finally, go public with this contract. Tell as many friends and family members as possible, better yet, post it on social media. Again, doing this is quite motivating as others are now aware of your commitment and you have now incorporated the fear of public failure into your endeavor.

• Continue your exercise routine come hell or high water. I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays. I love the time I get to spend with my family, but I hate the interruption to my daily routine, especially my exercise routine. As a result, I, long ago, made a deal with myself (see the above bullet point) that I would not allow the holidays to interrupt my exercise routine.

  However, I would allow the holidays to alter that routine. This mostly meant exercising at odd times, primarily very early in the morning. One last point, if you do manage to keep your exercise routine going, do NOT use that as an excuse to over-indulge at holiday gatherings. As much as possible, try to keep your holiday and non-holiday caloric intake the same.

• Keep the junk out of your sight and/or reach as much as possible. Of course, when you’re outside your home this can be difficult. However, you should have some control over your own domicile. If you know you can’t resist holiday sugar cookies, don’t bake or buy any and leave them sitting around the kitchen! Whatever your diet-busting kryptonite is (and some of us have several) keep out of your home! It’s really that simple.
• Do not attend a holiday gathering while hungry. Prior to arriving at a holiday party, eat something healthy in order to force yourself to not fill up on empty calories. In other words, don’t “save” calories for the party. This only causes you to binge on unhealthy foods once you arrive.Yes, the party food may be free, but your heart and waistline will thank you for thinking ahead. Also, avoid consuming too much alcohol for two reasons: most alcoholic drinks are high in calories and alcohol tends to lower your inhibitions, to include your inhibitions regarding unhealthy foods.
• Wear uncomfortably tight clothes to holiday parties. Force yourself into a pair of skinny jeans, leggings or dress with a cinch before heading out the door. This, of course, will force you to “deal” with your feelings of fullness sooner than if you wore loose fitting comfy pants. If you get to the point where you feel the need to unbutton your pants or cut your belt or elastic waistline, you’ve eaten too much.

While the holidays do provide a much-needed break and elicit feelings of joy, happiness and the warm fuzzies, they can also wreak havoc on your diet/healthy lifestyle. Just keep telling yourself, “It doesn’t have to be this way. Eating like a glutton for the next month is NOT inevitable. I have control over what and when I eat.” If that doesn’t work, lock yourself in the house for the next month with nothing but fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. Good luck out there.