1. Momentum Matters: Start on a Peak.

In mid November I start to hear “but it’s Christmas” as I ask my clients about their nutrition and alcohol.  Now I guess this isn’t surprising as the supermarkets generally flaunt cheap Christmas chocolates and other such crap-o-la from October.

If it’s important enough you’ll find a way to take the actions you need to take and if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.  Don’t kid yourself.  You absolutely will not maintain your current physique, let alone make any progress if your holiday season indulgences last for a couple of months.  

My approach is to choose the period of time I relax the guidelines and to ensure I hit a peak with my health prior to that more relaxed time.

This ability to delay gratification is something you already display in the areas of your life you’re most successful.  It’s a matter of taking the actions that may not be most pleasant right now because your focus is on the results they will allow you to enjoy in the future.

Equally, isn’t the anticipation of a pleasurable experience almost as good as the experience itself?  That’s why it’s great to book your yearly holidays at the beginning of each year, so you’ve always got one to look forward to.  

It’s why I get so much more enjoyment from eating bread on the weekend than I did when I ate it everyday. With the happy primary result being not the extra enjoyment – rather the satisfaction of maintaining my goal body composition long term. 

Your implementation steps:

1. When will you start your period of relaxed guidelines?  

(for me it’s a 2 week period and that is the maximum I recommend)  Date: ……………………..

Until then here are the tactics to employ to get you to that date in peak state…

=> When consuming those holiday season beverages – be it xmas parties or catch-ups with friends always choose the low carb option. Yes, it absolutely makes a difference.

Zero carb mixers.  Low carb beer.  Alternating your alcoholic drinks with mineral water.

=> Set yourself up to succeed before a cocktail party by ensuring you don’t arrive starving. For example have a plant-based protein shake, handful of shelled edamame or piece of fruit prior.  

=> Unless you have a vastly less emotional attachment to food than I do, I promise you the “just one” approach will only make it tougher.  You 100% know the best choices when that greasy, salty, high caloric density, moreish stuff gets passed around, so ask yourself: “What would (insert most fit and healthy version of you or person you are inspired by) do?” and follow suit! 

=> You’re likely dining out a lot more frequently, and even the best choices out will not be as ideal as what you could eat at home. That means every meal and snack you do have at home need to be as ideal as possible.  Build these meals around lots of fibrous veg and plant-based protein.

2. When these tactics get challenging, then focus on the results they will allow you to enjoy in the future. Ask Yourself:

For what purpose do I want this.  What will this mean to me – to my ideal life?

To delve deeper into how to achieve your ideal health by aligning your health goal with your Values and Beliefs check out this blog post on creating a winning fat loss mindset:

2. From Overwhelm to Overflow: Ground Your Holidays in Gratitude.

Now this may seem out of left field however the benefits are extensive.

Have you noticed that it’s really easy to race through the holiday season stressed and pressured by things that are actually privileges to be enjoyed and appreciated?

Another Christmas party?  Getting on top of your inbox and Christmas shopping before that 3 week holiday?  Finding the perfect party out-fit?

These are great ‘problems’ to have.

To focus on what you are grateful for will not only attract more of the same into your life.

It’s also a vastly more enjoyable approach to take, for you and all those you spend time with.  You can feel appreciation for the 7 days off you have or lament that it’s not a month.

My personal experience is that I have always felt lucky to have 7 days off at the end of the year.  It feels like a generous amount of time for me to rest, relax and come back fresh and excited for the year to come.

It’s actually the same during the year when I tend to take a 3-4 day long weekend.  My believe is that that’s long enough for me to benefit from it, and so I do.

Conversely I know people who grumble that they ‘only get’ 3 weeks off before they’re grudgingly back to work. 

Whatever you’ve got – be grateful to have it… AND if this doesn’t come easily then perhaps it’s worth taking a step back from YOU and looking into what other people have. Or, more-so haven’t got.  

It’s a reality check.  

Your implementation steps:

1. What are 5 things you feel grateful for?

A great time to focus on these things is directly before sleep.

=> your unconscious mind Loves questions.  If you ask it a question it will go hunting for evidence and won’t stop till it gets it!  So, best to drift off feeling grateful for what you’ve got and asking your unconscious mind the question: “HOW CAN I be even more focused on living my ideal healthy, grateful, successful day tomorrow?” 

2. Ensure your time before bed is for all thing POSITIVE.  

Goals.  Affirmations.  Gratitude’s.  Visualising the perfect day tomorrow. Get protective of your unconscious mind and what you allow it to dwell on.  

3. Plant-Positive Planning For Success.

If you’re traveling it’s essential you have a plan of attack (yep, you’re attacking the holiday fat!) BEFORE you leave. For both your exercise and also your nutrition.

Now it doesn’t need to be as locked and loaded as your regular at home training and eating plan. However some guidelines set in advance are important.

With EXERCISE I recommend deciding on the Type and Frequency so that you know it’ll compliment your holiday routine.

=> Now to be clear, this is what you’ll do during your ‘period of relaxed guidelines.’  Yes, relaxed doesn’t mean, do nothing! Perhaps, it’s swimming, cycling or hiking.  

Your holiday leanness guidelines are 30 minutes per day. (more if desired).

If you can find 30 minutes a day when you’re working, then you can 100% most definitely find it when you’re holidaying!

Focus on making it Fun. Perhaps spending time with those close to you rather than dragging yourself off to the gym. It’s also likely also a great opportunity to get your exercising groove on outdoors and give your body a rest from heavy weights.

Schedule some ACTIVE activities (!) before you leave. Actually book them, so you’re committed. Holidays are a great opportunity to try adventurous, new things.

In case something happens to stall your outdoor exercise intentions or you’re super short on time, prepare a 15-20 minute do anywhere body weight work-out. Or find someone who can put together one for you.  There really is a lot you can do with zero or minimal props, but if you don’t have it sorted prior to the trip the odds of it happening are near non-existent.

=> Oh wait, I’ve got you covered here…

To give you an idea here’s my exercise plan for my 1 week holiday from work (still staying in stunning Noosa):

=> Weights once per week MAX. I’ll train full body for around an hour. I want to give my joints a rest and that’s why I’m dropping from 4 times weights a week to 1.

=> Running 1-2 times per week. I never run except when I’m on holiday somewhere stunning and in that case I really enjoy it. (from 45-60 minutes)

=> Walking any day I’m not doing the above and also any day I do the above ONLY IF I FEEL LIKE IT!!! (from 30-90 minutes)

Basically, I’m moving everyday but I’ve got a lot of flexibility with what I do and when.

With EATING while away from home source some healthy eating options in advance.  

If possible get a room with a kitchen or at least a fridge and do a supermarket shop for fresh food as soon as you arrive.

Prior to traveling search online for restaurants that are a good option for a healthy plant-based meal so you can avoid the desperation of trawling from establishment to establishment when you’re already tired, hungry (and outta-control-moody with starvation to the point where irrationally it MUST be the most delicious possible meal you now choose – oh, is that just me?!)

I also recommend having a quick and easy Go2HolidayMeal up your sleeve for those times you’ve over indulgenced the meal before or get home late/over-hungry or whatever it may be.  Some sort of quick salad, Buddha bowl or smoothie work well. 

=> For MORE Plant-Based Options check out my FREE 3 Day Easy Vegan Plan:

Here’s an Easy 5 Minute Meal:

EDAMAME & BEAN BOWL. (3 serves)

• Can of 4 bean mix, rinsed and drained. Mix with a generous squirt of Sriracha and a generous shake of Harissa powder.
• *Hummus, 2 heaped tablespoons per serve.
• Edamame Guacamole, Blend 200gm shelled, cooked **edamame with 1/2 avocado + 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, several slices of red onion finely diced, a generous shake of garlic powder + salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste.
• Broccoli, 3 heaped cups (I cooked mine in the microwave with a shake each of garlic powder and onion powder)

Per Serve: 2 large handfuls of mixed leaves, 1 handful of undressed coleslaw + optional sliced red cabbage and cherry tomatoes. Extra Sriracha to finish.

*I make my own hummus on the weekend. It has no added oil, just the tahini. You can use bought though.
**I cook my edamame for 2 minutes in the microwave with a little water then drain. I recommend making enough for 2-3 days and storing extra in the fridge with the avo seed in the gauc to prevent browning.

If you don’t plan then you’ll be more likely to go for the ‘light dinner’ of toast or cereal after your big lunch out.  And that processed crap-o-la meal is not light!

Or perhaps you skip dinner after a big lunch and then snack on left-over pudding with custard, ice cream and cream that evening? Try a smoothie like this instead:

FUNKY MONKEY SMOOTHIE

• 1 handful of baby spinach
• 1/2 a small zucchini
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
• 30 grams raw cashews
• 1/4 mango
• 200 mils unsweetened almond milk – plus 100 mls water
• 1 scoop vegan chocolate protein powder
• 1 medjool date to sweeten.

Blend all ingredients.

Absolutely enjoy those meals you eat out HOWEVER make sure the meals that you are in charge of (I’ll dispute you can be charge of everything you put in your mouth) however, those meals that you’re even more easily in charge of, are always supportive of your health goal.

It’s also great to have a yummy yet creatively healthy food option for when you’re taking a plate or preparing for guests.  How many people do you know who wouldn’t like to shed a little fat?

Most people will thank you for providing the refreshing, guilt-free option… so,  

Here’s one of my fav holiday salads:

PUMPKIN SALAD

This salad is from the amazing minimalistbaker.com with a few adjustments. 
Measurements are really just estimates.

• 200gm baby spinach leaves or a mix of spinach and rocket
• 1/2 a butternut pumpkin or equivalent amount of any other pumpkin – enough for one full baking tray without overlap
• 2 heaped tablespoons craisins / dried cranberries
• 2 heaped tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (dry fry them in a pan)
• 1 cup baked edamame
• 1 tablespoon of avocado / macadamia oil to drizzle over pumpkin
• Balsamic glaze, to drizzle generously
• Half a batch of 5 minute macadamia cheese.

For the cheese:
This is enough for 2 large salads and is direct from minimalistbaker.com.

• 1 1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts – soaked for 1 hour in hot water then drained
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste).

Blend all together till smooth. 
This keeps in the fridge for at least a week.

Preheat oven to 425 F / 218 C. 
To prepare pumpkin, wash and slice into even wedges leaving the skin on. 
Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. 
Spread in an even layer. 
Roast for 15-30 minutes or until tender and golden brown, turning halfway. 
At that halfway point, it’s a good time to add the edamame to the tray.

To assemble: I tend to prepare the cheese, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and edamame the day before an event and then it’s a five minute assemble. 
Arrange baby spinach / rocket leaves at the bottom of a large bowl.
Add baked pumpkin. Sprinkle over craisins edamame and pumpkin seeds. Add heaped teaspoon sized balls of cheese generously. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Finally, dependent on where you’ll be over the holidays some Go2Snacks can be body savers. Such as protein powder / bars or portions of nuts.  Even if I’m off to a supremely well-stocked house, I’ll still take my trusty protein powder. That’s because I know I love to snack and I also know if I snack on all the treats on offer I’ll be struggling to squeeze into my jeans within a week.

Your implementation steps:

1. What Type and Frequency of exercise will compliment your holiday routine?

Type:

Frequency:

2. Two quick and easy Go2HolidayMeals:

3. Your Creatively Healthy food option for guests or if dining out is more likely do a quick google search for a suitable local restaurant:

4. Set Your Standards to Thrive, Not Just Survive, This Holiday Season.

Set your standards prior to leaving. If you’re not traveling, then set them prior to starting your ‘period of relaxed guidelines.’

Standards are the absolute Must-Do’s not vague ‘goals’ that are oh too easy to let slip on hols…

Such as how frequently you will exercise and your strategies when eating out.   

You laid the foundations in the ‘Plan‘ section, now let’s get more specific.  For example: 

=> lunch in and dinner out.

=> 1 serving at the buffet where you prioritise salad and veggie room on the plate.

=> making a restaurant booking to avoid excess nibbling and pre dinner drinks while waiting for a table.

=> dessert OR wine.  

How strict you need to be with your standards is going to be dependent on how long you’re away for.  If it’s a month it’ll be necessary to stick as close as possible to your day to day ‘ideal’ day.  

Personally, for a 1-2 week period my standards are a little more relaxed, the important thing to note is that it’s a conscious planned decision to train less and eat more treats (I do this once a year only) as I see the value for both body and mind in doing just that.

As food is such a huge part of holiday season I even decide on some guidelines that make the decision making process easier. These are some of mine; 

=> Non-negotiable (I don’t eat this during the year or on holiday): lollies, biscuits, cake/dessert unless it’s my #1 most fav in either case, cheap-nasty-crap-o-la-yet-convenient take-away.

=> In moderation (aside from bread on the weekend the following rarely features in my regular nutrition but on holidays it can, in moderation): bread, dairy free yoghurt, beer, Lindt dark choc, hot chips (they have to be super awesome though!).

=> Free for all (as much as I want, seriously…this is where I get the “where do you put it” looks (and the only thing that stops the guzzling is me is feeling self-conscious that my relatives think I’m a gutz!): fruit, or pretty much any low processed carb main vegan meal I happen to get my mitts on. 

Is assessing the above it’s also useful to consider your trigger foods.  You know, those ones that once you start you can’t stop?  Also, to come to an agreement with yourself as to whether they should fall into the “I have zero self-control” non-negotiable list or perhaps you can accommodate them in moderation.  

I find buying in one portion sizes and/or eating once per day only, help me with my trigger foods

Your standards will guide the decisions you make and once you’re clear on your standards the day to day choices you make with regard to your exercise and nutrition will become much easier. 

Your implementation steps:

1. What are your personal standards for the holiday period? 

2. Include your trigger foods and your…

Non-negotiable:

In moderation:

Free for all: 

=> When these tactics again get challenging, you guessed it – it’s time to focus on the results they will allow you to enjoy in the future.  Remind Yourself:

3.  For what purpose do I want this.  What will this mean to me – to my ideal life and also to all those I LOVE?

5. Different Is Delicious: Be Proud to Stay True to You.

Again this may seem less obvious than some of my previous points however it is a key component in surviving this holiday season in a fit and energised condition.

Unless you want to look, feel and perform like everyone else it is necessary to resist ordinary behaviour.  Ordinary behaviour will involve the following to name just a few:

(so this is your AVOID IT list)

=> Let an existing or planned exercise routine slip whenever a better, easier, more enjoyable or more socially acceptive alternative presents.

=> Eat the canapés and whatever beverage happens to be provided free because they are right there in front of you… and ‘all you can eat/drink’ is too good an opportunity to miss.

=> Skip meals when busy and overeat crap-o-la to compensate later that evening.

=> Buy the ‘on special’ chocolates, biscuits etc because they are right there irresistibly flaunting their festive wrapping at you. 

To enlist the support of all those close to you it’s important that you are able to communicate exactly why you’re choosing contrary.  The person who no longer has the pudding they never even loved anyway or stops at one big serve of Mushroom Wellington rather than stuffing themselves to the point of discomfort or asks for an adjustment to the menu when eating out. This person who perhaps gets up early to get a walk in or buys vodka when beer and bubbles are part of the bar tab, will INITIALLY have to deflect some questions.

We teach others how to treat us.  The first couple of times you take a new habit for a spin, it’ll likely attract some attention.  As you stick with it it’ll become normal, for you and for the people closest to you – who are likely just trying to justify their own indulgences by drawing attention to your choices.

In saying this I am labouring choices. What you eat and when you exercise is your business.  As is what the people closest to you eat and whether they exercise. ZERO JUDGEMENT.

The goal is to get you feeling and looking awesome, certainly not to leave anyone else feeling worse.

You know the couple where the ‘naturally skinny one’ always critics whatever the ‘bigger one’ consumes?  Not effective.  Not nice.

If it’s important to you to fuel your body the food that best helps it look and function as you would love it too – to prove to yourself that you can – then there is no shame in that.  It’s not fussy. It’s a simple decision to take the actions that allow your to achieve your goal.

Finally, it does not matter whether you’ve just decided a few days ago or whether you’ve maintained your goal physique for years and are committed to continuing that path.

Likely you’re in between. My point is if you were to fear judgment in the form of ‘why is she/he even bothering’ then you’d never start anything new and positive. 

Back your ability to achieve this goal and feel confident communicating it’s importance to those who love you.

Your implementation steps:

1.   For what purpose are you committing to take these actions that will allow you to achieve this goal?  Focus on the positive it will allow you and those you love to experience rather than any negatives you’re looking to avoid.

(YES. It’s that important to focus on the Why)

6. Celebrate Without Compromise: Love Every Plant-Powered Indulgence.

Also your regular meals and how you exercise as much as possible:

Long term there is no place in your eating regime for those high calorie, processed, fatty foods that you don’t absolutely LOVE.  If you’re choosing a treat – then make it worth it!

You work hard in your exercise sessions, so don’t waste that effort on some average bowl of half soggy chips or a bunch of bland biscuits or a sickly rich dessert.

Here are some easy guidelines that I follow:

Generally I’m really not tempted even by ‘the best’ as I crave what I eat and when I’m not eating it I find I feel like eating it less and less. However if I do want it, I know I can have it, still stay lean and also avoid feeling deprived.

=> I’ll only eat my very favourite plant based biscuit (Anzacs) or cake (carrot) or ice-cream (hokey pokey) or chocolate (Lindt dark) or dessert (tarte tartin)… and so on!

=> Plan your indulgences.  Eat a generous amount – never feel guilty and ensure you only buy enough for that planned serving. No lethal left-overs!.

=> Never eat crap-o-la out of laziness or a lack of planning or because everyone else is.  This simply comes down to planning and preparation. 

A crucial component in being able to feel ok about only eating the best of your indulgences is to really enjoy or Love the vast majority of everything else you eat.

=> Know that it’s possible to get joy from a food because of more than simply the way it tastes. For example I love certain foods for the nutritional value they give my body.  Also for the fact that I know they will never lead me to gain fat. So called Free Foods that I don’t waste brain time wondering: “Can I get away with this?”

=> Bother to have your meals looking attractive and looking generous. Visually appealing food will be more enjoyable and a decent serving of food (built around ‘free’ fibrous veg) will be more satisfying. 

With regard to your exercise, in an ideal situation you would Love the most effective forms of exercise. Lifting heavy weights and high intensity interval training.  If you don’t, there are still plenty of options to find the love (!) or at least find tolerable and work towards more enjoyable.

=> Focus on getting enjoyment from an exercise because of more than the process. How about the result?  Or how good you feel once it’s over? Whether that be the endorphin rush or the sense of achievement.  

=> Could you love that sticking with a way to exercise is an opportunity to get better at moving beyond your safe and boring comfort zone? That skill is applicable to every area of your life.

=> Finally, be conscious of the power your language holds and choose the communication that makes exercising easier by either downplaying or reframing any negative emotional intensity and amping up any positive emotional intensity.

For example: “I hate horrible hard cardio!” Could become “I love feeling energised and satisfied when I finish my cardio.”

Your implementation steps: 

1. What are your ‘best of the best’ foods in any relevant category?

2. What are some past situations – people, places or emotions – that have led you to consume sub best of the best (!) indulgence food? What can you do next time instead?  It may be a better quality food swap, an alternate action (like calling a friend or going for a walk instead of reaching for the choc biscuits) or simply not putting yourself in the danger/trigger situation. 

SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT!

To Staying Festive, Not Flustered and a Holiday Season of Fun, Fitness and Healthy Habits… I believe they can co-exist!

BEYOND THE BLUEPRINT?

If you are vegan or plant-based curious and you struggle to prioritise your health and happiness. 

Especially if you’re frustrated by restrictive diets and steadily loosing faith in your ability to ever change your body… I can help you sculpt the mindset that means staying lean and energised while eating plant-based foods that are sustainable for you AND the planet no longer conflicts with and instead supports your ideal lifestyle.

I believe “When your mind is stuck you’re wasting your time moving your body”. 

I also know when it comes to creating a Body and Life you Love, the resolve to Back Yourself and to give it 100% transcends any and every quick-fix-silver-bullet-over-promising-hope-eroding-MYTH!

My NEW Plant Positive Journal will show you how: