In this episode, I’m sharing tangible tips for enjoying the holiday season without going to either extreme end of the spectrum: eating everything in sight OR avoiding everything out of fear. I cover:
Feedback? Questions? Comments? Head on over to Instagram and let me know in my DMs!
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Follow me on Tiktok: @jessiemgolden
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In this episode, I’m sharing tangible tips for enjoying the holiday season without going to either extreme end of the spectrum: eating everything in sight OR avoiding everything out of fear. I cover:
Feedback? Questions? Comments? Head on over to Instagram and let me know in my DMs!
FREE TRAINING
COURSES
Follow me on Tiktok: @jessiemgolden
Subscribe to my Youtube channel
[00:00:00] Hello, and welcome back to the Jesse Golden podcast. This episode. Is intended to be really helpful for you in this holiday season and how to live in the gray. So we're done with the black and white, which is especially important over the holiday season. As we know most of us are thrown out of our routine. There's a lot of potential chaos.
We have to deal with dynamics with family members, sometimes with other people, a lot of holiday parties. Sometimes seeing people you aren't necessarily. Excited to see. We want to know how to navigate these situations. The holiday season with food, with exercise is taking care of ourselves in a way that is not going to send us into either extreme because neither end of the spectrum. Is often usually serving us well, right. And regardless of your goals, this can be accomplished.
So if you're pursuing fat loss, I want you to know that I successfully lost almost 7% of my body weight [00:01:00] in 2021 from October through January, 2022. I didn't miss out on anything holiday related and it was completely baked into my strategy. Being able to enjoy the holidays fully. I love. Thanksgiving. I love Christmas.
I love the whole season. And I was living in New York city at the time, which was a one-year excursion. And I knew that I knew that it was coming to an end and I wanted to be fully present and captivated by that whole season, which is magical in New York city at the same time. And I was able to do that.
So know that you can absolutely still achieve your goals. I'm not going to be going into fat loss strategies in this podcast, but I do want you to know that you don't have to be still in a black and white framework at all in order to reach your goals. If you're inside of SLA, you already know that. That should not at all, be the mindset that you have when you're, unless you're a bodybuilder about to step on stage, which I don't have any of those in my audience.
And my work is not for you. So first things first, what do we want to do? Firstly, we want to [00:02:00] identify the big rocks that make you feel well. And focus on those. So I want you to be focused rather than on weight loss, rather than on maintaining your body composition. I want you to be focused first on. What makes me feel well, because from there, the other decisions tend to fall into place and you make other decisions that actually. End up contributing to. Your body composition.
If that's something that you want to be mindful of without you having to think about it. So if we focus on feeling well, which would be my general advice. As well outside of the holiday season, focus on what makes you feel well, first and foremost, and then we can tinker around with the other things. But for this holiday season, let's just focus on what makes you feel well. And you want to focus on the big rocks that have the biggest trickle-down effect for how you want to feel and helps you make other decisions more easily that you want to make. Okay.
So I want you to think about it as a snowball. What provides you with the biggest snowball effect?
[00:03:00]
We want to go on an upward spiral rather than, rather than a downward spiral. Right. So the first thing for me, and for many clients is alcohol intake. If you don't drink wonderful, this doesn't apply to you. I do drink alcohol and for my fellow drinkers. Moderating alcohol. I'm very, very attuned to what my limits are, which. Very very minimal.
Anything over on it's like wondering. I can typically feel at one and a half sometimes. But it depends on what I'm eating. So why moderating alcohol not being the first one is because alcohol impacts sleep quality. Brain functioning energy levels, literally everything. So, if you are drinking too much, then every other decision you make is going to be more difficult. You're an adult.
You can do whatever you want, but just be mindful of that. Along with us as eating before drinking. That is a non-negotiable for me. And we'll never, ever, ever drink on an empty stomach. That is a no. I will automatically feel hung over within one hour. If I do that. And [00:04:00] again, I go down on a downward spiral. If I do that. So moderating alcohol, if that applies to you, is step numero UNO. Secondly, the second most important for me and again, for most of my clients is slick. Sleep impacts the ability to make long-term decisions. Rather than just, okay.
Whatever makes me feel good in this moment, because I'm so tired. Impacts our cravings. Our decision-making. Mood. Emotional regulation. Our desire and our ability to exercise. Again, sleep impacts almost everything. So moderating alcohol and sleep. If you get those two things down. You will be so far out of the curve and those goat, those two go hand in hand, because if you're not moderating that alcohol properly, Your sleep is going to suffer.
And then you're going to have to spend a lot more effort to dial in the rest of these things. So just make it easy on yourself. Get the core components. The certain that's what I want you to be focused on. [00:05:00] Throughout this holiday season is let me get my core foundational components. Dialed in. And then I can let the rest of the details be details.
The third one. Is daily movement. Case. And for me, this looks like walking outside in nature. Does wonders for my mental health also helps regulate blood sugar. Very good for the nervous system. And. Lifting weights now I'm in a period right now. So my puppy. I don't know if she's technically still a puppy she's on she's a year. A year old, but she has that nasty virus.
We're respiratory thing that's going around. So my weightlifting strategy for the week has kind of gone to shit. And I'm very familiar with this life happens. And when I'm really sick myself, I'm not going to the gym and lifting weights. Right? So this doesn't need to be dogmatic, but I do make an effort. [00:06:00] To go to the gym.
It's typically me and my brother we'll make sure we go to the gym and lift weights. We carve it out. We get it done because it makes us both feel so much better. So that's something that's really important for me to maintain. If it doesn't happen, I'm not going to disrupt, you know, dinner plans and say, no, I'm not going to go to this holiday party. Because I need to lift weights.
Usually it's not a dichotomous decision like that, though. Right. It's something where, Hey, I just need to make a little bit of extra effort. To carve out an hour or two to go to the gym. And then again, the trickle down effect is worth it to me. And walks or. Often way more accessible, but let's say you don't have access to a gym.
Let's say you're going someplace remote, or you're snowed in whatever the situation you find yourself in. Can you do some body weight, movement, anything that will have that. Upward spiral impact. In order to get your, your juices flowing, that Juju coming, where you're regulating your blood sugar, [00:07:00] your mood is improving. Uh, for me, it's really important for me to lift weights because of my hips.
I get joint pain in my hips when I've gone too long without lifting weights, or I've been sitting on my ass for too long. So. It's not even really a choice for me at this point. If I go too long without lifting my body is in pain. So that's something I have to do for myself. And again, the trickle down effect.
It's so worth it. So we have moderating alcohol. Sleep quality and quantity. Movement daily movement of some sort. I don't care if I get out for 15 minute walk, I'm moving my ass. I feel so much better for it.
Then we have protein and veggies with most of my meals. So I don't ever track my protein. But what I do do is I aim for a Palm sized serving of animal protein, and most of my meals. And then if I'm having a snack, typically I do have a snack in the afternoon. Then I make sure that I include some protein in it.
I'm not [00:08:00] tracking, I'm not counting for me for my goals. I'm not out here trying to be the most dialed in. Building muscle. That's not super high on my priority list. I'm willing to have 80% of the results. For the way that I want to interact with food. But that's just me. So let's say you typically are super dialed in with your protein.
You track it. You're probably in a pretty damn good rhythm at this point, after you've been tracking your protein. So see if you can just go with the flow and say, I'm going to include protein in most of my meals. If you have a protein shake, let's say in the afternoon in order to hit your protein goals.
Great. Just include that. You don't need to track anything. If you don't want to, if you do want attract during this time. You guys know, I don't give a shit what you do. I care that you're doing it in a way that you want to be doing it. From a place of self care, not from a place of fear. Okay. So I aim for. A Palm size, serving of protein and most of my meals. And I like to focus on veggies. And protein because [00:09:00] both of those combined ensure that I'm getting micronutrients.
So taking care of my body, Helps with blood sugar regulation with the fiber, the protein. Fiber really helps with my digestion. Both of those help with appetite regulation. So again, they're making the rest of my life easier by including these, and I'm not dogmatic about it. If I'm going out to eat and someone in my family wants to split a pasta with me and there's no protein and veggies in there.
Oh, well, Okay. I'll do it. Not a big deal. It's just for most of my meals. That is what I'm going to be doing.
Then we have hydration. So this is something that typically trips people up. I cover all of these, by the way, if you're like, okay, I really want to dial in my habits. In general for my day-to-day life healthy habits foundations is my course. That I will link in the show notes below. But our bodies have a remarkable ability to regulate hydration on their own. And I've actually seen a surprising number of women throw their electrolyte balance [00:10:00] off. And a dangerous way by drinking too much water. I think we see on social media.
There's so many people just pounding water. Your body's brilliant. Our bodies are so, so, so brilliant. And when it comes to something like hydration, just listen to your body. If your piece is super. Yellow. Then. Okay. That's probably a sign. And if you were to actually connect with your body, you'd probably feel, huh? Actually I'm thirsty.
I've just been ignoring my body. So, this is another reason why being so connected to your body is extremely important. You need to be able to hear its messages, hydration being one of them. Outside of that. You don't need to be. Getting neurotic about your water intake. Okay.
Now you might be looking at this list. That I mentioned looking at it, listening to it and thinking what the fuck. I don't even have these down in my normal day-to-day life. So, how are you expecting me to just magically add these things in during the holiday season? In a way where I'm describing it as very nonchalant. [00:11:00] So I hear you.
If that is you, then. There's work that we need to be doing. To dial that in. Okay. That needs to be a priority for you because these are basic things. For a good life for you taking care of yourself for your health and wellbeing. So that needs to be a priority for you. I will not sugarcoat that. But. It is what it is at this point.
Right. So what I'd like you to do is starting now and want you to focus on. Your relationship with food and, or your healthy habits. Usually those go hand in hand, if you're not. Dialed in on any of these things that would usually indicate to me that you're not a priority for yourself in some capacity. Barring extenuating circumstances. And that's something that we want to address.
Why are you not taking care of yourself in this way? Why are your habits so erratic or just not even on your radar at all? I want you to want to take care of yourself. And he, so that needs to start now. Don't wait until January 1st start. Now. And focus on one to two. That you can realistically [00:12:00] implement. Throughout the rest of the year. And that's the process that I advocate for inside of healthy habits foundations.
Anyway. You don't need to do a complete lifestyle overhaul. Some people do well with that. A lot of people don't. So focus on one to two and think of, okay, what are the biggest ones like I covered here that have the biggest trickle-down effect that send me on an upward spiral. Chances are it's moderating alcohol.
You're asleep.
Those are the two big rocks. Can you focus on those things and see how much more clarity. And how much better you feel that allows you to make better choices for yourself? So those would be the two that I would personally focus on. And you might think. Well, what about sugar? What about dessert? What about all these other things?
What about if I'm having the extra cookie? What do I do with those things? Here's the thing. If you are going into it with this mindset of neuroses around any of those things, again, you need to work on your relationship with food. That needs to go to the top of your priority [00:13:00] list. For sure. But I want to bring you some peace in knowing. I don't sweat any of the details. Truly throughout. 99% of the year.
If there's a period where I'm focused on getting leaner or for some reason, I want to be more, a little bit more disciplined. Then, okay. We'll focus on some more of the details, but typically my moderate lifestyle is I focus on all these big rocks. I mentioned here. Just make sure I'm a little more dialed in that I would be during the holiday season.
And then I don't sweat the details.
I do not. So what does that look like? Ingredients used. Especially around the holidays. Don't care. I don't care. What kinds of oils are being used? I don't care if it's grass fed grain, Fred just don't care. Extra bites of this and that. Great. It's not uncommon for me during the holidays. Okay. I'm going to have a cookie before breakfast with my coffee.
Wonderful. I don't care. The protein quantity. I do not care. These things are just minutia compared to these big [00:14:00] rocks. And another one that I should mention when it comes to big rocks. And this would be further down the list, but eating according to hunger and fullness cues, still, most of the time. I don't follow that as closely during the holiday season, as I do throughout the rest of the year, like I mentioned, I'll have a cookie with my coffee. Before breakfast, am I necessarily hungry for that?
No. Is having the dessert after dinner who's ever hungry for dessert after dinner. And my hungry for that. No, but that's a trace that I am making, but most of the time during the holiday season, I am honoring that because overeating feeling really stuffed, constantly putting food in my body, never giving my body a chance to digest my food.
That doesn't make me feel good. So that's something that I am mindful of as well. But bites of this bites of that, having the chips in the dip and eating the extra things when I'm not hungry, just do not care, but I don't take it to an extreme. [00:15:00] I remain deeply connected to myself inside of FFE. We have the trifecta of connection, very connected to myself, emotionally, physically, still. I'm trusting of myself and I'm treating myself with self-respect. Those things remain unchanged.
So the most important part of all of this is the mentality, the mindset that makes this work, because anyone can sit here and tell you, Hey, do these things.
And you're like, okay, I, I get it, but I'm not actually implementing it. So. What I want you to do is get clarity with your priorities and your values. What is actually important to you? During the holiday season. Is it being super rigid with your food? Is it. Gorging yourself on every single thing that is remotely tasty for, to you. Is that truly what you value chances are.
It's not. So get clear on what your priorities and your values are. Minus spending time with my family and my friends. Mine is rest and relaxation. I love the novelty of the holiday [00:16:00] season. It's so. I'm very fortunate to say that it brings me a lot of joy. I have such great memories with Christmas in particular Thanksgiving.
And it brings me so much happiness. So really immersing myself in this time and being present with my loved ones is very important. I also love to give gifts. It's a fun part of the whole experience. I love to cook for the people I care about. We make cocktails in my family. It's just a whole fun thing and I love it.
So prioritizing. That for me. It's something I have clarity on. And I spent way too many holidays when I was younger. When I was really obsessed with food or my body sacrificing those things either by completely checking out and going apeshit with everything and gorging myself and feeling awful. Meanwhile, still being very stressed about the whole thing. Or saying no to everything and restricting myself.
And I was so in my head, caught up in how I was going to control myself and restrict myself. But I missed out on the holiday season. And it was awful. [00:17:00] So we don't want that for you get clarity on your priorities and your values. Then I want you to understand the drawbacks of your decisions. And this is something that took me time to learn is if I'm going to have the extra cookie for breakfast, if I'm going to have the glass of wine, if I'm going to have. A cocktail every single night while I'm home. Then I'm not going to feel 100%. I just, I'm not, I'm not treating myself how I typically would.
So there's going to be a slight deviation, nothing extreme, but a slight deviation from how I typically feel. And that's okay. I own it. There will be drawbacks unless you want everything to be exactly the same as it is during your normal day-to-day, which mine is very fucking close.
Slight deviation.
So slight change in how I feel. If you are an experiencing a, an extreme deviation in how you feel. And you don't want that. Then come back here and get clear on your priorities and your values.
But unless [00:18:00] you're following everything exactly the same as you typically do. There will likely be some drawbacks in terms of how you feel, maybe even some changes in what you see in the mirror. You'll probably retain more water. This is all. Okay. Just except it ahead of time. If you don't go in with your eyes wide open about what is going to happen, that you might not feel 100%, it might not look a hundred percent than you are. Going to present your brain with an experience of shock.
And then you're going to go into this spiral potentially of, oh my gosh, what's happening. I need to start controlling things. Except the drawbacks. Or keep things exactly the same as you do during your normal day to day. And then you won't have to consider that, but just make sure that aligns with your priorities and your values.
This also coincides with owning your decisions so own it. If you're going to make the decision to have the cookie for breakfast, like I do, then I fucking own it. I'm not looking for anyone to feel bad or to beat myself up. I'm a grown adult woman. [00:19:00] That's my decision. I own it. I move on.
Staying present with yourself is going to be very, very important.
You have to stay connected. Don't check out and go into fuck it. Mode. I don't spiral in your head about controlling things, stay in your body. If you need to get reattached reconnected with your body, focus on your breath. Use your sensations use your senses. I feel something, look, somebody in the eye, focus on the conversation that's in front of you. Get out of your head and into your body and stay present with yourself emotionally as well.
I also would invite you to really ignore what everyone else is doing. You might have Sally coming up to you, telling you about the latest diet that she's on and talking about keto and how you shouldn't be eating any bread or XYZ. Truly pretend like it's that muffled sound. You've seen cartoons where the person's voice just becomes muffled under water. Just pretend that's what the voice is.
Like. You nod your head. Thank you. [00:20:00] And then carry on. Does that matter? If you see another woman, this is very common. You see another woman who's. Just eating celery and carrots while everyone else at the party is eating. Cookies and, or just balanced meals. Whatever that looks like, let her do her. It's her journey. Has nothing to do with you.
You don't need to judge it. She could very well be like, eh, I just, it's not worth it to me to have a cookie and a glass of wine tonight. Great. That's her prerogative. And I would expect someone to give you the same respect if you make that decision for yourself as well. And if she is coming from a healthy, excuse me, an unhealthy mindset and making those decisions, that's her journey as well. Has nothing to do with you.
So ignore what everyone else is doing and focus on what you want to do. And this goes back to owning it. Don't look for anyone to pat you on the back for what you're doing.
And focus on everything else outside of food and your body. Not everyone. I understand loves the holiday season. Like I [00:21:00] do. But can you still find something that you are enjoying? About the holiday season, maybe it's the dog in the room. Okay. We all love dogs. Just kidding. I learned that the hard way that not everyone does. But whatever that is for you. Maybe you are at a house and you love the decor in the house. Or maybe there's a beautiful view, whatever it is.
Just find something. That you can focus on outside of just food and your body be present in the moment you might as well. Because we are only alive here once. And keep in mind that routine will always be there. Enjoy the special time. Take care of yourself. Stay present with yourself and then just go live your life. All this stuff is only a big deal.
If you make it a big deal. And I will be right there with you. Probably having that cookie for breakfast before breakfast with my coffee. Having a fun cocktail enjoying my life, looking more puffy in the mirror, more water logged. And who gives [00:22:00] one little shit. Not. Me. I hope this is really helpful for you guys.
Let me know. If the sued some of your anxiety coming up for the rest of the holiday season hop into my dms let me know and i will see you all in the next step so