STOP! Do not step on the scale the day after a holiday!
I am not sure when that became a thing or what we are hoping we are going to see when we step on the scale when we return home from a holiday, but that is the WORST thing you can do.
What are you hoping that number is going to tell you? Are you letting that number define you and whether you made good choices or not? Are you using the scale as a punishment? STOP!
I can promise you this, you most likely did not lose weight. In fact, you are probably up on the scale but that also doesn’t mean that you all of a sudden gained 10 pounds of fat. So let’s take a deep breath.
When you are enjoying the holidays, you are usually not tracking or taking a break from logging your food and that’s what we, as nutrition coaches, want you to do. We want you to take a break and just enjoy the time with your family and friends by eating intuitively. You can make the best choices while still enjoying the delicious foods for the holidays. You probably didn’t know what was being served, or there were probably 14 dishes that you had 1-2 bites from. It can be even more stressful to try and track all of that. So why not just take a break and enjoy it.
So you do. Then you get home and for some reason, you want to know what the scale is going to look like. How far was I off and how much do I have to restrict myself in order to get the scale down? YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT!!!! There needs to be NO restriction. There needs to be NO stepping on the scale. Not right after the holidays and not EVER. I have said this a million times, but I will say it again. You only need to step on the scale if you are trying to make weight for a meet or competition where it’s required!
For most of us stepping on the scale doesn’t lead to motivation, but punishment and restriction, and that is something that we need to change.
You know how you feel when you are eating well. You can tell by how you feel. You can tell by how your clothes fit. You can tell by how you feel in the gym and with your energy levels.
So this week, it’s most important that you get back to your routine. There should be no guilt or shame for the choices you made over the holiday. Only the joy of knowing you had a great time and fellowshipped with those you love!
Happy Holidays!!
