The answer to this question is the question itself.  Our goal over the holiday doesn’t have to be to lose weight but MAINTAIN OUR WEIGHT LOSS AND PROTECT OUR NEW GOOD HABITS!

Enjoy the holidays!  Those of us with obesity deserve the right to enjoy the season as much as someone without obesity. But we must have the enjoyment while protecting the progress we have accomplished.

Think about past holidays.  What was your downfall? What was the toughest part?  Let’s create a plan to address the biggest challenge to you.  For example, some problems faced may include:

• NOT CONTINUING EXERCISE
• TOO MAY CAKES AND PIES
• PORTION CONTROL
• EXCESSIVE LIQUID BEVERAGES (ALCOHOL, EGGNOG, AND OTHERS)
•  

1. NO EXERCISE

Use the 6-P PLAN.  Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance.  Schedule your exercise time more carefully and stick with it. In fact many people who get extra time off during the holidays actually improve their exercise during this time period.

2. CAKES, PIES, AND OTHER DESSERTS

This was my own personal weakness.  Initially I tried denying myself any desserts. This didn’t work for me. Instead I made the following realization:  EATING THE WHOLE PIE DOES NOT MAKE THE FIRST PIECE TASTE ANY BETTER!!  By thinking this at every meal, I did not totally deny myself desserts but controlled my dessert intake.  Remember your tsps sugar guidelines.

3. PORTION CONTROL

This was a really tough one for me and for many of my patients.  The medicines we prescribe will help with this. Eat slowly and enjoy the food, savor the flavor, and enjoy the holiday tradition, But this year, we start a new tradition. The day following the holiday we are proud of ourselves for the control of our disease. 

4. ALCOHOL AND BEVERAGE CONTROL

This is an additional stress. For me personally, I created the following plan. My not so secret plan…WATER.  I alternate each serving of alcohol with a glass of water. I would even take my empty beer can to the faucet and fill it up with water to keep the liquids flowing and “save the calories”.