Tips for when you start planning your Holiday feast!

There’s always a temptation at this time of year to think that no matter how badly your nutrition is for December it’s okay, as you can sort it all out in January! However, the research suggests that when you use the mindset that you’ll sort out today’s bad habits tomorrow, it creates two new problems.  Firstly it sets up a “what the hell” mindset today, as you excuse all your good work and secondly, it creates a “what’s the point” mindset tomorrow.  Meaning, that when you’ve gone so far away from where you wanted to be, your brain can’t see the route back and gives up at the first hurdle.

So, what nutritional plan should we have navigating our way towards the holiday period?

1. Plan, plan, plan -  As the old saying says - failing to plan is planning to fail.  If you can plan out your meals for the week, ahead of time, then you can keep yourself more on target with any long term plans that you have. If you feel that you haven’t got time to plan all your meals then try at least to plan all your breakfasts and about three dinners. The general principle being that, if you start your day eating healthily, it helps you to continue.                                                          
2. Shop with a list - We’ve all been to the supermarket and been duped into buying an extra-large something that we really didn’t need. However, when you plan your meals in advance and then shop with the relevant list to make those meals, you are less likely to fill up your shopping cart with unwanted items. 

3. Don’t shop hungry - When you go to a supermarket hungry your brain is craving food to fill your belly. Shopping in this state encourages higher-sugar food purchasing as you strain that willpower.  

4. Willpower muscles fatigue during the day - Planning your meals, shopping and eating is always going to be more controlled when your willpower is at its strongest. As you go through the day you’re continually making willpower-challenging decisions. This can be why you buy more impulse-based food if you stop at a supermarket after a hard day's work.  So if you can, always try and make your nutritional decisions earlier in the day.

5. “I’m trying to be good” - These famous words have probably been uttered by the majority however what does this actually mean? When this phrase is expelled from our lungs into the ears of the person offering us that delicious looking chocolate cake, they are challenging your willpower. You are now in conflict with yourself!  Someone or something is conflicting with an aim or an objective.  At this point, your brain is choosing long-term goals versus short-term gratification.    This is where the planning comes in.  If you plan periods of indulgence in advance, then it helps you stay on target either later that day or the next day.  This helps to get you back on your good routines without the proverbial saying “the diet starts tomorrow”!