5 Ways to Mindfully Move Though Sugar Season

It’s no secret that sugar can cause weight gain, feelings of bloat, and sluggishness. We often don’t notice these negative effects until it’s built up in our systems and our pants are super tight. And we all know the January 1st, New Year’s resolution declaring weight loss. Have you ever considered that that doesn’t have to be you?

As a recovered sugar addict, I can tell you it is absolutely possible to get through the holiday season without sugar cookies running your life. The following are 5 mindful strategies to help you move through the season feeling better than last year.

1. Ask yourself, how will I stay in alignment with my green light foods, while still allowing for those yellows to be enjoyed? To learn what your green, yellow and red light foods are, grab my Healthy Lifestyle Jumpstart here. As you ponder that question move to step 2.

2. Set an intention for the holiday season. Ask yourself and answer; what do I really, on a soul level, want to get out of this holiday season? How do I want to feel during it and when it ends? What’s most important for me to experience this holiday season?

3. Set a goal for each occasion. What 1- 3 things can you do to stay in alignment with your intention? Examples of tempting occasions; Office goodies in the breakroom, holiday parties, temptations in the house. Which brings me to number four…

4. What boundaries do you have for bringing sweets into your home? Maybe this is something you’ve never thought about before. Maybe you don’t want someone to think you’re rude. But, it’s your home. It’s your body. It’s your vision for your life. You get to make the calls. Some examples of a boundary might be;

• You do not take desserts home from parties. It’s never rude to say no thank you.
• If you host a party, after 24 hours of you and your family enjoying the leftover desserts, you toss em. Nothing personal, just living that healthy life aligned to that vision.
• The leftover Halloween candy that you hand out to the kids does not get “saved” or eaten. Maybe donate it.
• Only make cookies or dessert when there is an occasion. There is no need to have it sitting around tempting you. Put a few aside for you and the family, and bring the rest to the holiday event. Do not take any desserts home and enjoy what you put aside mindfully with your family.
• Use the tips I share on mindful eating from my Are You an Emotional Eater? blog.

5. Lastly, it’s not what you do once and a while, it’s what you do on a regular basis that counts. What will you choose to do on a regular basis to stay in alignment with your vision of health and wellness? For example;

• How will you move daily?
• How much water will you drink daily (winter months it is harder for us to get our H2o in but still just as important)?
• How will you sweat weekly?
• How will you ensure you’re choosing whole and healthy foods 80% of the time?
• How and when will you check in with yourself during this time of the year to ensure you’re aligning with your intention?

Remember to use the tips from my Are You an Emotional Eater? blog to practice mindfulness around tempting times.

Oh and one more thing! Drop the guilt. This is never about being perfect. It’s about the progress that you make over time. Do you have improvements from last year’s you?

Enjoy yourself. Enjoy treats. But don’t use the holiday season as a mindless free-for-all like a Freshman experiencing their first time at college only to realize at the end of the semester they gained the “freshman 15” and failed all their classes.