Your Guide To Christmas

The final stretch of the year can feel like a whirlwind for a lot of us. Celebrations, travel, disrupted routines, shorter days, and lots of food centred gatherings, all of which make nutrition goals more challenging.

The truth many tend to miss is that you do not need perfection to make progress. Progress towards your goals will look different throughout the year. I often remind my clients that nutrition has seasons just like anything else. There is a time when we can be “on” and dialled in then there are times when we need to relax a bit to find balance and this should always reflect your own personal goal.

Staying connected to your goals, even in the smallest ways, can keep you on track and prevent you starting the new year feeling like you have lost all of your progress.

Below are simple, realistic ways I encourage my clients to stay engaged through this challenging time of year.

Redefine What Success Looks Like in December

Goals have seasons, too. Your goal in July may not make a lot of sense for your life in December. Instead of forcing yourself into a firm, strict goal, ask yourself, “What does success look like this week?” Cutting time down into weeks is super effective over the Christmas period. Take it week by week and set small goals that take into account your events and schedule for the upcoming week.

Success will look different for everyone, but I often ask clients to quantify the goal in some way. Examples may be hitting protein 5 days per week, getting 4 gym sessions in, walking 30 minutes each day, or even as simple as aiming to track your food accurately for the week.

Choose your Daily Anchor Habits

We are big at habit tracking at Focused Nutrition and December is no different. Throughout December in particular we are identifying “anchor habits”. These are small actions or habits that are non-negotiable day to day. I often think of these as the nutrition foundation, or “big rocks”. These are fundamental habits that we can build on over time.

Some daily examples my clients have shared are:

Drinking at least 2 litres of water every day

Taking Supplements

Having protein at each meal and snack

Veggies with each lunch and dinner

Getting at least 7k steps/day

Think of these habits as our baseline, and define what anchor habits you feel are both attainable and relevant for this busy period.

Avoid the “Write-off Mentality”

From my experience, this is the biggest trap this time of year. The thinking “ah, I’ll get back on it in January….” This type of thinking creates a domino effect, leading you further from your goal. Instead of focusing on perfection and assuming the end of the year is a waste, put your energy into making “the next best choice”. If a workout or meal does not go as planned, simply shift your focus to the next decision or action that does align with your goals. When we map out the end of the year, most people find they have less than seven meals that are out of their control. Holiday parties, famly events, work events, etc… That leaves a lot of room for positive choices with the remainder of the month!

Be Present at Celebrations without Abandoning Your Goals

Holidays and special events are meant to be enjoyed. There is a time and place for precise tracking of your food, and often holidays are a time for us to practice flexibility. When aiming for balance between your goals and relaxing,, I like to remind my clients of these tips..

Choose the foods that are most important to you. Special family recipes, Christmas favourites and foods that do not come around that often.

Build your plate around protein and produce (greens)

Decide in advance how many alcoholic beverages feel right for you at each event

Eat mindfully, and aim to stop when you are satisfied, not when you are stuffed

Focus on the people and the experience. When food is not the star of the show, it is much easier to limit overeating.

Final Thoughts

As we enter into this busy end of the year period, thinking about your goals is so important to your own success. Staying engaged is not about perfection, it is about consistency over time. Every small action or decision leads to a future version of you. It starts with one next choice.

If you feel this is not the right time to delve into nutrition further, you can book a call in January to see how I can help you and help establish what you are not getting from your nutrition.