Preparing for the Holidays

The holidays span two months if you begin with Halloween and end with the New Year. This is traditionally when people gain the most weight of the year. We either give ourselves permission to go crazy, or we decide it isn’t worth “reigning it back in” because another holiday is just around the corner.


First How Do We PREPARE: When you look at it on paper there are really only 5-10 “eating days” –duplicate meals, parties etc. over the course of 60 DAYS, SO…. You can’t just throw your hands up in the air and wait until January 2nd.

We need to always be asking ourselves “can I afford to make these indulgences.” Diabetes doesn’t wait; metabolic syndrome doesn’t wait.




READJUST YOUR MINDSET 

  • There is always at least something small you can do towards your goals. Even if you can’t keep up your normal fasting schedule or diet, you can make small concessions instead of big ones for days on end. 

  • What is success? It can be inches forward even if it can’t be giant steps. You DON’T have to go backwards. 

  • Start by asking yourself what you actually love or look forward to in the holiday: people, games, gift-giving etc. Try not to think of each holiday as it is centered around food, but rather make it about the people, the traditions, the feeling. 

  • Beware of justification…”I can’t help it because it’s Christmas” 

  • Prepare strategies: Good–Better–Best and then make a plan

  • Think of it as the language of divorce. I am divorced from those foods and those habits and I don’t go back, it no longer serves me well and we no longer get together anymore. 

  • Why is it so hard? Your insulin has been UP, getting it back down can be a big challenge. 

TIPS

  • Keep using time restricted eating - if you normally skip breakfast, keep skipping breakfast. 

  • Eating window 30-60 minutes - You generally don’t need more than that to eat a meal on normal days.

  • “Plating:” don’t graze and snack, even on holidays, keep your meals on a plate. Eating 10 hours a day raises your insulin significantly and the more you eat, the more     you want to eat, don’t stand and eat, don’t graze. 

  • Delay, Don’t Deny: you can delay when you start eating, to avoid eating mindless grazing. 

  • Set a timer for 90 minutes and STOP eating when the timer goes off. Allows you time to “graze” and snack and can include the meal. Helps you avoid social friction by trying to not eat at all until the main meal. When eating choose the whole-food options: meat, cheese, veggies etc. 

  • What should I eat? Be cautious of the Appetizers (highest insulin response–processed foods, salty foods etc.) Choose your foods wisely–keep high carb, starchy items for the END. ** When you eat the carbs first (especially on an empty stomach) your insulin shoots up, your blood sugar increases and your food inhibitions disappear. Eat carbs with food that can mitigate the insulin response–Eat protein, fat, and fiber FIRST and then add the carb. 

  • What about Alcohol? Often when we start drinking, especially early on in our eating window, it can also lower food inhibitions. Drink with your MEAL and then stop drinking. Stick to the no/low sugar mixers and less sugary wines. 

  • Stay Hydrated (especially if drinking alcohol) --have one glass of water with every alcoholic beverage and keep sipping water all day long. 

  • What about Stress? Stress can raise your insulin even if you haven’t eaten off plan. Sleep can also be disturbed which can raise your insulin. Do your breathing exercises, and keep your exercise routine the same.


RECOVERY

  • Fasting is a great way to get your insulin back down, but the hunger can be overwhelming coming back from a holiday.

  • Another option is to FAT FAST. Select a small number of high fat and high protein food items to eat in monotony and repetition over 1-3 days. 






LoriJean ReedComment