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HELP! How Do I Avoid Piling on the Pounds This Christmas?

Nov 25, 2016

Christmas can be a difficult time when you’re battling to lose weight, working hard to manage your symptoms of the peri-menopause or menopause, or even just hoping to stick to your healthy lifestyle and eating habits.

Because this time of the year is like no other. We do the best we can to stick to feed our bodies with what they need and stick to a healthy lifestyle throughout the year. And suddenly, we’re faced with all manner of rich deserts, snacks, chocolates and sweet, seasonal specialities, mulled wine, mince pies, Christmas cake and opulent Christmas dinner with all the trimmings that everyone wants to persuade us to eat.

And the thing is, we want to be joining in with the festivities. We want to be eating and drinking with our friends and families. We want to relax, let our hair down and have some fun. And we definitely don’t want to be the ‘kill-joy’ or the ‘boring one’ or be the person obsessively counting calories whilst everyone else is tucking in to whatever they like.

So, what’s a girl to do?

Do we just forget our healthy principles, ditch the healthy lifestyles and indulge, only to regret it all once January comes around and we no longer fit into those jeans?

Do with stick ultra-religiously to our clean-eating and let Christmas pass us by without enjoying ourselves like the rest of them?

The truth is, it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Far from it.

You can still enjoy Christmas without ruining everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve. You can stick to your health goals, keep your hormones healthy and have some fun. Let me explain how.  

 

Why are we so scared of putting on weight at Christmas?

The fact that so many of us already have ongoing weight issues. We might still be fighting to shift that stubborn belly fat. We might be getting to grips with our new healthy lifestyle at last. Our symptoms might have decreased or even disappeared and we’re really noticing the changes in our health and happiness.

So understandably, we’re a little scared.

Will one bite of Christmas cake push us right back into the arms of sugar cravings or binge eating?

Will saying ‘Yes’ ruin everything we’ve worked so hard for?

Will we lose control and struggle to regain it once Christmas is over?

Will we go right back to square one if we enjoy a mincepie or two?

It’s not about the weight

But as we both know, it’s not just about the weight. Although, being overweight spells bad news for your hormones and your overall health, the real issue goes far beyond this.

The truth is, we’re worried about putting on weight because of the way that extra weight makes us feel inside. If we put on a few extra pounds, we panic. If we notice the number on the scales increasing, or find that it’s harder to button up our jeans, we get scared.

We base so much of our self-esteem, self-love, self-worth and overall personal value on the number on the scales (or our dress size). We treat this number as the gospel truth and somehow a secret indication of our beauty, our sex appeal, our overall worth and yes, even our intelligence.

If we like what we see, then we’re on cloud nine for the rest of the day. However, if we don’t like it, then we’re left feeling fat, ugly and worthless.

And yes, as you’re probably thinking- this is absolutely madness.

The world doesn’t grind to a halt because you’re gaining a few extra pounds. You might not feel your healthiest self, you might prefer not to be carrying that weight, but it doesn’t change the real you inside.

What matters is how you feel about yourself. If you don’t love yourself whatever size or shape you are, you will have a long and difficult battle ahead for you, regardless of what you indulge or not this Christmas.

Without self-love, you’ll never be able to open up a family-sized box of Roses chocolates and just have one or two with your family. Without self-love, you’ll never be able to treat yourself occasionally without fearing you’ll get fat. Without self-love, you’ll never accept the natural transitions happening within your body and come through as a stronger and more empowered woman.

So, the real way to avoid piling on the pounds this Christmas is to heal your relationship with food, understand what effect indulging in those festive foods might have on your body and then making your decision.

Step 1: How is your relationship with food?

First we need to take a long hard look at the relationship we have with food.

Is food something you ‘reward’ yourself with? A crutch to lean on when life is getting you down? Or simply a way of fuelling your body and staying strong and healthy?

Do you feel that you must deprive yourself of all the foods and drinks you adore for the sake of your weight?

Do you restrict your eating as a way of punishing yourself for being overweight, whether that’s now or in the past? Do you eat to treat yourself? Eat to stifle unwanted emotions? Eat to feel loved? Is food your friend or your enemy?

Take some moments to think about these questions- you might be surprised with the answers.

And don’t blame yourself for whatever comes up- it’s not your fault. Our thought processes have been so negatively conditioned by society that we too fall into the trap. The slimming group culture of the past few decades has damaged our relationships with food and lead us to be so obsessively focused on weight and waist-measurements.

Next consider how you can work to heal this relationship with food. How could you switch your mindset and view foods as nourishing, energy-boosting, fuel for our bodies and minds? If you need any help with this, please do drop me a line.

Step 2: What effect will festive foods and drinks have on your body?

We all know that eating sugary, fatty (often highly processed) foods spells bad news for our hormonal balance and our weight. You’ve learned that processed sugar causes spikes in insulin that increase your production of stress hormones and increases your symptoms of the menopause such as hot flushes, night sweats, low sex drive, insomnia and moodiness.

And as you’ll also know if you’ve been following me for a while, alcohol also has a profound effect on our hormones, our livers and our sleep patterns. (Watch this video for more information and tips).

That’s why I strongly recommend that all peri-menopausal and menopausal ladies reduce their sugar intake, clean up their diets, reduce their alcohol consumption and eat more fresh produce.

 

Step 3: To Eat or Abstain?

What I’m about to say might shock you. Are you ready? Here goes:

It’s OK to indulge in things you love from time to time.

Yes, that includes those delicious Christmas food and drinks.

Yes, you might put on a few pounds. Yes, you might notice hot flushes returning or you might start waking up again at night. But provided you only do this for a day or two, it’s not the end of the world.  

What is important is keeping in mind your core desires.  How do you want to feel, what’s your ultimate health goal? And then you can make your decision.

 

As disappointing as it is, there is no secret formula to avoid putting on weight this Christmas, no more than any other time of the year.

But what is vitally important is the way we feel about ourselves, our relationship with food, and indeed, our wider health goals. We need to start moving away from the number on the scales and move towards finding radiant health with a good dose of self-love and respect.

When we all do this, eating or abstaining from Christmas food stops being a dilemma. Putting weight isn’t an issue any more. It all become easy and guilt-free.

 

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