Anti-Diet Holiday?!?

The kitchen is stocked with vegetables and fruits. There are measuring spoons, cups, and a scale. Every day you are dedicated to staying on the diet program. But something happens out of the daily routine. Holidays? Pandemic? Emergency? Winter blues?

So now, you have fallen off the wagon as you binge-watch your favorite TV series and munch on popcorn and chips, right?

What if I told you there was no wagon? THERE IS NO WAGON. Nothing to fall off. Nothing to restart. Nothing to start, stop, and start again when your feeling “fat.”

No Wagon. It is life.

How do we change the mindset to have our “diet” plans blend into OUR lives and not us bending to the “diet”?

“Most people desire unhealthy foods 60%” (Hofmann, W. et al.,2014) more in one study. This same study also mentioned the food industries have created products that trigger cravings due to fat, salt, and sweetness. Denial of foods also creates a mindset for some to crave. Resiliency is needed in this case, and in time or adjusting limits, it can help break this cycle. “Behavioural inhibition is the key variable that distinguishes successful from unsuccessful dieters” (Hofmann, W. et al.,2014). A lower behavioral inhibition will result in larger food portions, multiple servings, faster eating, and more specially created foods, aka unhealthy foods.

During the holidays, if you are watching the intake of nutrition, relax. Studies have shown “overall consumption increases during this period, those actively engaging in dieting behavior report that they eat the same or less than those who are not” (Martins, C. M., and Vallen, B.,2014). It is the regular day-to-day times that increase weight for a dieter and fewer holidays times.

Creating eating cues and an improved outlook on food will help erase the wagon mentality. Want something sweet? Have it, reasonable portion. Think about the texture. Is it creamy? Are there hints of cinnamon? Does it have a dark coffee smell or a rich milky smell? Be mindful of the foods that you are consuming. Then go for a walk. Clean the house. Tackle that unorganized closet. Or soak in a bubble bath and plan for a workout in the morning.

As popular as the diet wagon is, let that image disappear from your thinking. It is a phrase that originated in the early 1900s. It doesn’t really fit our day and time now. Try not to stress during the holidays and weight gain. Enjoy the time. Eat without guilt, include any kind of physical activity, and focus on positive body image.

Be thankful you are not where you were and use what you have learned to propel you further.

References

Hofmann, W. et al. (2014) ‘Dieting and the self-control of eating in everyday environments: An experience sampling study,’ British Journal of Health Psychology, 19(3), pp. 523–539. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12053.

Martins, C. M. and Vallen, B. (2014) ‘The impact of holiday eating cues on self-regulatory bolstering for dieters and non-dieters’, Psychology & Health, 29(9), pp. 999–1013. doi: 10.1080/08870446.2014.900682.