Staying on Track During the Holidays
Staying on Track During the Holidays and Holiday Weekends
The holidays can be a tough time for most people to “be good” or stay on track with their nutrition. Most people that I speak with think, there is no way to enjoy yourself over the holidays and still lose weight and get results.
It’s true, only if you eat your face off all the time and drink heavily all the time… but, it IS possible to lose fat AND still enjoy some treats occasionally!
Clients that are going through my program or that have gone through my program know this. There IS a way!
So many programs, “cleanses”, and “fixes” are so dramatic and take everything away. This is doable for a very short time but it is just unrealistic, in my opinion, to think that someone will NEVER treat themselves ever again. My focus is on realistic lifestyle changes. My philosophy is to do the best we can most of the time and treat ourselves occasionally and strategically so it will work for us, and not against us.
How is this even possible?
Keeping track of what you are eating in a food tracking app like My Fitness Pal and tracking your macro nutrients. Macro nutrients or “macros” are what makes up the calories you are eating. They are Carbs, Fats, and Protein. To learn more about macros and why they matter, click here .
There are different strategies when it comes to counting macro nutrients, and one strategy will not fit all. That is why The Refine YOU Program customizes this for our clients. In keeping track of these macros, you can manipulate your day to work in those treats you enjoy. If you know what you plan to eat or drink as your treat, you simply put it in the app first and work the rest of your day around it. This might mean eating lean protein and veggies throughout the day to allow for an ice cream sundae for dessert.
Another strategy in manipulating macro nutrients is carb-cycling.
Eating more carbs on strength workout days will direct the carbs not to fat but to muscle. These carbs help our muscles to build and prevent muscle breakdown. The carbs that we should be eating on high carb days are mostly complex, high-protein carbs such as beans, quinoa, and vegetables. The empty carbs, “the treats”, are the ones that we should avoid. But let’s face it, over the holidays, it’s so hard not to treat yourself with the delicious food that is surrounding you everywhere you look!
Carb cycling allows us to time our carbohydrate intake more effectively. Carb Cycling also regulates the hormones that affect our hunger and energy levels. Carb Cycling puts us in control and allows us the flexibility to eat the foods we love from time to time while improving our body composition… less fat and more toned muscle. Carb Cycling is a technique that is used for some clients in The Refine YOU Program, but this strategy is not used by all clients. It is a fairly advanced nutrition strategy and should be reserved for those who it is appropriate for.
Sometimes people are hesitant to start something new, like a program, over the holidays or the summertime. Let’s be honest here, you’re not going to stick to a program 100% of the time no matter when you begin. So WHY NOT keep yourself on track and get results sooner rather than later? While everyone is stuffing their faces and gaining weight, you can be the one who is having their cake and losing inches!
So many of my clients are so shocked to be able to work in the things they enjoy occasionally and still get amazing results. Click here to hear from some of them. That is the whole point of my program. To change your life. To teach you how to eat what you want occasionally and strategically to work FOR YOU and not AGAINST YOU. To get you the results you never thought you could get and maintain these results long term. To be able to continue these techniques indefinitely.
Why delay, what are you waiting for? The perfect time? There is no such time. Have your cake and eat it too! Register here to Refine YOU!
Watch the video below for all my tips on enjoying your holiday while staying on track!
