by Game Changer Strength and Nutrition Coach Rob Riccobono
We are in the midst of the biggest holiday season of the year. It’s a very easy time to forgo good nutrition, fall into unhealthy patterns, and put off your goals or give up on them all-together.
I can’t deny the extra challenges that Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holiday parties, and New Year’s celebrations present to fitness. But an extra obstacle or two does NOT mean your health and physique goals should take a back seat.
The “Holiday Season” Is Year-Round
No matter what time of year it is, there will ALWAYS be parties, events, and holidays presenting challenges. The summer is filled with barbecues and vacations. The winter has the Holiday season that we find ourselves in now. Year-round there are birthday parties, family dinners, ballgames, weddings, anniversaries, work outings, graduations, religious celebrations, nights out with friends, eating out at favorite restaurants, and countless other events. Temptation is unavoidable, no matter what the calendar reads.
Let’s even make the argument that this time of year does provide more challenges than usual to good nutrition. You wait until the New Year to start a plan. You are diligent and get great results, and you reach your goal! So what happens when the next holiday season comes around? Do you throw in the towel, assume all is lost, and either plan to start another diet in January, or even give up completely?
The Best Time to Make a Change is NOW
If you truly have a fitness goal you want to reach, don’t put it off any longer. Make a commitment to change your nutrition today. Beginning a nutrition plan during the holiday season could actually be beneficial, because it will teach you how to keep good nutrition practices in less-than-favorable situations, and this is what will lead to your long-term success. Learn how to eat healthier meals when you’re out, enjoy some treats in moderation, and move right back to good nutrition habits without guilt when you “slip up” at a party, understanding you haven’t hurt your long-term goals.
There will never be a perfect time to make nutrition changes. You will never be a perfect “dieter”. You are human, this is how life works. Now’s the time to prove to yourself that you can achieve anything you want. Don’t let anything stand in your way.
