Can you really LOSE weight during the holidays?

My short answer is YES! I am, and so can you, if you really want it bad enough.

In the first eight days of managing my nutrition and exercise a LOT differently, I’ve lost seven and a half pounds. Sure, the first week of changing your lifestyle is sure to garner good results on the scale, but, doing it during the holidays to me means I’m dedicated to making a real, and lasting change in how I eat, and how much I move.

During Christmas seasons past, I paid very little attention to my diet, (I don’t eat alot, anyhow, so I didn’t think I needed to be concerned with what I was putting in my mouth), and exercise? Who has time for that, when there’s visiting to do, and parties to attend. This year, I’m looking at things a lot differently… I’ve become very concious of the types of food I’m eating, as well as the portion sizes. And, with a new spin bike sitting beside me in my office, I have no excuses that it’s too cold outside to move (which is the whole reason why I chose to replace my mountain bike that was stolen last year with something I can use year-round).

Why am I making this change now? Easy answer? I wanted to show myself that if I can do this now, I’ll avoid the inevitable weight gain during the holidays, and teach myself that food isn’t the answer to enjoyment of the season. Besides, I have a very firm goal date in mind to get to my ideal weight, and that day means a lot to me — By May 1st of next year, I’ll be where I want to be… 35 pounds lighter, losing an average of 2 pounds a week.

How do I motivate myself each day? That’s simple… I have photos of myself at my ideal weight, and a few clothes still hovering in my closet that I fit into at that weight. They’ve mocked me for the past few years, but no longer! Everytime I feel myself wavering, I think of those size 6 jeans that I’d love to get into again, and I ask myself if that food choice is really worth putting off my weight loss. Five seconds of enjoyment, to put off feeling and looking fabulous? It’s not worth it.

All this doesn’t mean that I avoid absolutely every indulgence — Once a week, I will be allowing myself a small treat, so I don’t feel completely cut off from the foods I love. Thankfully, I don’t have a big sweet tooth, and I don’t crave really salty treats. I feel doing this will allow me to sustain this lifestyle change, and not fall off the wagon a few weeks in.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the next few weeks brings on my scale! Good riddance, fatty thighs