Ahhh the holidays…diet culture’s favorite time of year to capitalize on insecurities and spread toxic misinformation like wildfire.
We present you with our Holiday Commandments to arm you with the confidence and education to make it through this time of year without guilt.
1.) You don’t need to “earn” or “burn off” your holiday meal(s). If you want to get a holiday workout in, do it because if makes you feel good.
Because it’s amazing what happens when we train to strengthen our bodies’ capabilities instead of out of punishment for what we ate.
Did you know that of all the components that make up our total daily calorie expenditure, exercise activity is among the smallest contributors? Don’t let this nugget of info discourage you from a regular training routine…instead, allow it to reframe your purpose. Instead of training to burn calories, train for longevity and strength. The stronger you get, while the DAILY calorie burn may be insignificant, the more muscle mass you build over time and the more metabolically efficient you become. Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the largest contributor to daily calorie burn, and will be much higher with more muscle on your frame.
SO…if you feel like skipping the gym on any given holiday in favor of spending time with your family and friends and eating your favorite foods, you’re not setting yourself back. You can spare the day off regardless of what lands on your plate later.
And please…avert your eyes from any of the calorie equivalents to your favorite holiday foods. You know the ones we’re talking about…”1 slice of pumpkin pie equates to X number of burpees.” Gross. Hard pass on that.
2.) Don’t restrict calories before or after a holiday event to “compensate.”
This only perpetuates a horrible relationship with food and reinforces the flawed “earn what you eat” mentality. Adhering to your normal routine pre- and post-event is best and much better supports foundational long term habits.
3.) Drink some water…because hydration is underrated and you’re not a cactus.
We can always expect some weight gain following a big holiday meal. Calm down. This is NOT the same thing as fat gain. The reason we can expect weight gain is because (a) food carries weight, even in our bellies, and (b) holiday foods are typically richer in sodium and carbohydrates which lend to increased water retention.
Staying well-hydrated to balance out said sodium intake is always a great idea, and may also help keep holiday-related bloating at bay more.
We can always expect water retention to reflect on the scale post-holiday, but it’s no reason to hit the panic button and make any sort of rash dietary choices. It’s not going to magically convert to body fat. Keeping your cool, hydrating like a MF, and getting right back into your standard routine will be the most conducive action plan to re-regulating.
4.) Put your tracking app away and enjoy the holiday.
If you’re following the MAD Nutrition Blueprint, we cannot stress this enough: put your tracking app away and enjoy yourself. Use the holidays as an opportunity to flex the habits, balance, and flexibility that tracking has taught you to date!
