For more information and help achieving your health and nutrition goals, contact me today! I work in-person, by phone, or by skype/facetime with my clients.
Fall is here, and for many of you this means football games, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving parties, and then the series of holidays in December.
This is a difficult time to navigate nutritionally. Some people throw in the towel and decide to deal with it after the New Year. Resist the urge! A lot can happen in three months as far as weight gain vs weight loss vs maintaining.
When coaching clients, my advice is to set realistic, short term goals that are achievable. You probably are not going to lose 5 lbs the week of Thanksgiving, but it's realistic to maintain during that time if you stay mindful of your choices and don't indulge too much.
How?
Establishing a good routine or discipline right NOW.
I heard a quote from Daniel Goldstein a behavioral economist on a TED talk that said: "Self-discipline is like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets."
This applies to anything in life, but I see it daily with clients in my nutrition business. People may start out drinking two beers a night or having dessert after every meal, but after a couple of months of setting small weekly goals and actually following through with them (e.g. only have one drink on Friday and Saturday night or sharing a dessert one night per week at a restaurant), they no longer desire those things that were inhibiting them from ever making progress.
Notice, the key phrase is setting the goal and actually following through with it. This may require some serious accountability.
I don't know about you, but I've lied to myself many times! Usually the reason I don't follow through with my intended goal is because it's not realistic, and/or it's too far reaching all at once. That "all or nothing" mentality strikes, and before you know it, the outcome is "nothing."
Here is the map to nutrition success:
1. Log your food for a couple of weeks, and write EVERYTHING down...not just your best days (or your worst days).
2. Highlight the places where you are falling short. Maybe it's the desserts, the alcohol, too many carbs or fat, not enough veggies, etc. Maybe you are missing meals or going way too long between meals. Those cumulative bad choices add up after a while and result in weight gain or a stall in weight loss.
3. Set 1-2 small, short term goals for the week and follow through. Declare that goal to your family and friends as accountability. If you don't declare it to anyone, it's easy to back out. Examples of goals for the week: no alcohol, no processed/packaged food, eat green veggies at lunch and dinner, etc.
Before you know it, you will be on your way to accomplishing your nutrition goals left and right! This will establish the discipline needed to power through the holidays.
Pumpkin Mug Cake
By: Low Carb Yum
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon clear stevia liquid
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all ingredients into a coffee cup or ramekin and blend well with a fork.
Microwave on HIGH about one and half minute or until toothpick placed in center comes out clean.
Remove from container, if desired.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Calories: 158
Carbohydrates: 11 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 7 g
For more information and help achieving your health and nutrition goals, contact me today! I work in-person, by phone, or by skype/facetime with my clients.