"If..., Then..." Tool

Are you feeling a little anxious around the holidays because you don't want to break your healthy habits? You have been working so hard on establishing them.  Asking ahead and seeing that maybe you won't work out as much and you might overeat? Is that about right? If that is you, please keep reading.

Prefer to listen? Click here. 

I know the family comes and cooks. They may not be aware that you have been sticking so well to your healthy routine. Maybe they know and yet it doesn't feel good to ask them to change family food traditions. You may even feel guilty about expressing your needs. And it certainly doesn't feel good to deprive yourself from holiday foods. After all, it's family tradition..

How do we keep the spirit of the holidays and enjoy family traditions while still sticking to healthy habits? 

About guilt

Before I show you this tool, let's get one thing out of the way. Guilt.

Why do we feel guilty even before the occasion?

Let's allow ourselves the freedom of food choices and commitment to get back on track right away, shall we?

Now let's practice "IF..., THEN..." TOOL. 

In my previous messages,  I talk about Mental Rehearsal. All it is is mental preparation. So let's play several possible scenarios. 

 For example, 

If I eat a piece of pie, then I will play with a child twice as long.

If I binge watch Netflix, then I will walk for 15 min outside. 

If I eat too much,  I will do a 5K walk or run next morning.

Here are some more in the image below.

Now is YOUR turn.

Sit comfortably and relax. Take a few calming breaths. Now play different scenarios in your mind. I would say, Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and so on. Write them all down in the structure I showed you above. 

This tool allows us to:

1. Mentally prepare different scenarios and remember what to do when the time comes.
2. Take guilt away.
3. Get back on the health wagon right away.

Want more?

I will be teaching this and other mental preparation tools as well as fitness and mindful eating tips  at the upcoming Healthy Holiday Eating training - 3-Step System How to Not Overeat, November 16th, Wednesday, 9:30 AM CST.

In this webinar, we will learn:

1. How to powerfully prepare yourself physically and mentally before the meal.

2. What you will be doing during the meal, from the minute you open the door and smell the tasty foods. You will see yourself at the table, holding your plate, choosing the foods, reaching for dessert, reaching for a drink, and when it is time to stop eating.

3. What to do after the feast.

At the end of the webinar, you will have a simple powerful plan to sail through holidays and beyond. 

Click HERE to register for Healthy Holiday Eating Training