During the holidays there's usually enough to think about between busy schedules, gift buying, and even hosting. It gets a little bit tougher when you throw in managing your health on top of it all. This series of posts (Part 1, Part 2) can really equip you for the holidays in a way that includes your health goals...without adding additional stress! The three pillars: planning, portions, and powerful decisions, can be tailored apply to anyone, no matter what kind of weight related goal you have (lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight). Let's look at how Powerful Decisions can help you this holiday season and beyond!
Because we eat everyday, and food is such a part of our daily lives, we make quite a few decisions along the way! Cornell researchers estimated the average person makes around 221 food related decisions everyday. Can you believe that? We don't always notice that we are making decisions, because some things we do simply by reflex. Powerful decision making is all about making conscious choices about your health and nutrition.
Grab a cup of coffee or tea before diving in to this one! If you dive deep with me, I promise this pillar will make a huge difference in how you experience your holiday season!
POWERFUL DECISIONS
This mindset-focused pillar is the key to you having a healthy mentality about your food choices this holiday season! The portions pillar we just explored gave some specific strategy on how to align your portion sizes with your goal to maintain your weight this holiday season. But this pillar of making 'Powerful Decisions', will actually help you make those choices about portions in a healthy way. If you make powerful decisions with choices that impact your health, no matter what you choose, you'll be better off as a result. Healthy decision making actually sets you up to make healthy nutrition choices!
A powerful decision happens when you fully embrace what you're choosing with all of its possible outcomes (both positive and negative). It looks like a full 'yes,' or a full 'no.'
When you choose something and you fully embrace it by giving your full yes or full no on something, you are empowering yourself by making a strong choice! Making choices about health can feel so charged with "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts," but this concept of making powerful decisions is less about what choice you're making and more about how you're making it. One of the hallmarks of a powerful choice is that you made it; you can't look back and say it was because of someone else or something else.
Let's take some food specific examples to see how this could play out during the holidays:
An unhealthy choice is one you don't embrace fully:
"I'm going to eat this holiday dessert but it's not my favorite- I guess I'll eat a double portion, everyone else is having that amount. You only live once right?"...."Why did I do that? I shouldn't have eaten that much."....
"I'm going to eat this green vegetable because they'll judge me if I don't have something green on my plate. I don't want to eat this. Why do I have to?"
Signs & symptoms of a choice made in an unhealthy way:
Pressure
Doubt
Rationalization
Guilt
Regret
Resentment
*feeling more negative things now and later*
A healthy choice is the one you take full responsibility for:
"I'm going to eat this piece of dessert because I really like it; I'm choosing a portion size I feel comfortable with; I will enjoy this in the moment, and I will not allow regret, shame, or blame to bother me later."
"I'm going to eat this green vegetable dish because I enjoy it and I'd like to make room for it on my plate; I freely choose it."
Signs & symptoms of a choice made in a healthy way:
"I" focused
Confidence
Ease
*feeling more neutral or positive things now and later*
THE BENEFITS OF MAKING POWERFUL CHOICES
Shifting how you make your choices about nutrition and health makes all the difference. Making choices in a confident manner and taking full ownership for them goes a long way in removing the stress around holiday food choices. Don't ride the fence on your choices- with one foot in "yes" and one foot in "no." Commit to what you're choosing to eat, drink, or do by accepting both the easy and challenging parts of making that choice. It's much more stressful when you feel torn between what you want to choose and what someone/something else is telling you to choose. (Example- that Aunt at the holidays that says you don't love her if you don't eat that second piece of pie she made).
Powerful choices occur when you take full responsibility for the choice and its potential outcomes. You don't feel like a victim of "healthy standards" or a victim of the effects of sweet treats, for example because you take ownership now and in the future. You can feel powerful in your choices!
This kind of decision making will make your holiday experience so much more enjoyable and less stressful. When you choose to avoid certain foods this holiday season, you aren't going to feel restricted by anyone or anything, because you yourself are choosing it; when you choose to eat and enjoy certain foods, you aren't going to feel badly about it later because you embraced the choice and are ready to deal with any challenges that may or may not come from it!
PUTTING PILLAR #3 INTO PRACTICE
Notice that I have not connected the practice of making powerful decisions with choosing any particular foods, not even with "healthy options." We're not evaluating the healthiness of specific foods right now, but the health of your decisions about the foods. Of course the quality of your food/beverage choice matters, but practicing making powerful decisions sets you up to freely choose the quality of your food/beverage. Your relationship to your food choices really matters, and the holidays are the perfect time to work on it! So, let's take a look at how this pillar can be put into practice!
We just looked at an example of what making a healthy choice can look like and what it's symptoms are. Take those signs and symptoms and use them a guideposts as you make your food and nutrition based decisions this holiday season.
LOOK FOR "I" STATEMENTS
"I" based thoughts are one way to tell if you're taking ownership of your choices. This isn't about selfish thinking without regard for other people; it's about picking up and holding the baton of responsibility over a decision. Cultivate more "I" based thoughts and make sure you agree with your own choices this holiday!
"I choose" "I will" "I will not"
LOOK FOR CONFIDENCE
Whether it takes you two seconds, two minutes, or 20 minutes, give yourself the time it takes for you to land on a decision you feel comfortable with. The more settled you feel in your decision, the more confident you will feel in the moment when you make the choice and in the future when you think back on it.
LOOK FOR EASE
One thing leads to another! Taking ownership leads to confidence, and confidence in your choice leads to feelings of ease. No more needing to feel like you can't win no matter what you do with your food choices. Choose that portion size and then find yourself enjoying the conversation at the table!
What are your patterns with holiday food choices? How many decisions do you make out of reflex and how many do you consciously make?
What specific decisions could you make more consciously this holiday season?
Are there any choices you make around the holidays that typically bring regret or resentment? Can you make a more powerful decision in those scenarios?
Write out how the choice could feel more powerful
- do you need to make a different choice?
- what will you say to yourself about it
- what could you say to others (if applicable)
What powerful decisions can you make about your health this holiday season?
If you feel overwhelmed with how to approach the holidays or simply want some support through them, check out the Holiday Helper Package! You'll have access to 3 sessions with me (the RD), fresh recipes, and an app where you can text me between sessions! I'd love to support you through the holidays- to bring simplicity and ease to an otherwise hectic season. Sign up now to get support for the rest of December and January!
Get RD Nutrition is a virtual nutrition counseling practice for residents of North Carolina- offering weight management counseling, right where you are!
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