Episode 97: Don't Set Yourself Up For Failure - with Dietitian Karah Stanley

As we usher in another holiday season, most of us would agree that there are many roadblocks and barriers just waiting to detour us on our road to being healthy.  I reached out to a dietitian friend of mine to give you her tips for navigating through the holidays without setting yourself up for failure.  Karah Stanley, is a registered and licensed dietitian, specializing in weight management and bariatric surgery.  We share a love for educating people on nutrition and healthy habits to help them reach their goals.  We live through various health topics first-hand with our clients.  We understand what the common barriers and frustrations are as well where our clients have had success before.   We can help you plan ahead to avoid those pitfalls.  

By the end of October most people have adjusted to the new protocols for school, sports, activities, etc. that are required due to the pandemic.  They have developed some sort or routine.  Then the holidays hit and throw a wrench in it.  Schedules get interrupted. They get less sleep, go to more parties, travel, and are inundated with never-ending goodies. It is the perfect storm against sticking to habits.  But if you slow down for a minute and take a deep breath, you can push away some of that holiday anxiety with Karah’s tips on handling the challenges ahead, to prepare you for what is to come and make it go as smoothly as possible.

 Karah’s tips to navigate that perfect storm:

Practice

There is still time to get set up before the hard times hit.  Make meal plans. Have healthy choices on hand so you don’t stop at the drive through.  Being able to reach for a low-fat cheese stick or apple is empowering. 

Hydration

Staying hydrated is the key.  Many times, people mistake thirst for hunger.  They eat something, when simply drinking water would have satisfied them.   People have become flavor junkies.  They get bored with water or they don’t like the taste of tap water.  They can punch it up to give it flavor without adding calories.  There are products out there like True Lemon that have no sugar but infuse your water with flavor.  

Sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, you feel like you need to keep eating to give yourself energy.  You don’t feel like exercising or planning a meal.  It sets a bad tone for the day.  A 15-minute power nap or just shutting your eyes for a little while can help.  

Patience

Be patient.  It is a process.  It won’t happen overnight.  Shut down negative self-talk.  It is bullying yourself and is very damaging.  We should make sure we don’t talk to ourselves in a way we would never talk to someone else.  

 Remember

Every day might not be good but there is some good in every day. 

Your journey is not supposed to perfect, but there are wins within each day.  Get r