Don’t Derail Your Diet During the Holidays

The holidays may be the toughest time of year when it comes to treats, sweets and plates full of comfort food.

The holiday season starts in October with Halloween candy, continues through Thanksgiving in November and gets bigger and better throughout December.

What can you do to stay on track?

Get support. If you’re pre- or post- weight-loss surgery at Penn Medicine, you can join us at an upcoming support group. They can provide the extra support you need from others who are going through the same thing you are.

See a list of upcoming support group meetings here. 

You can track more. Writing everything you eat, and all activities you do can help you stay focused. It’s a marathon, not a sprint – and sometimes just seeing the work you do every day is enough to keep you motivated.

Try something new. The weather is colder, and your body may want to sleep in rather than wake up early to work out. That’s okay. Schedules change, and so can your workout. Plan workouts into your calendar—you’ll be less likely to skip. Check out the Nike Running App, which allows you to set a run reminder on your phone so you get an alert when it’s time to get active.

Plan, plan, plan. Going to a party? Bring your own healthy dish to share. Eat before you go to the party so you don’t arrive on an empty stomach.

Remind people of your goals. Saying your goals out loud can help reinforce your own mindset, and let others know you mean business.

Look at how far you’ve come. Maybe you’re new to weight loss… maybe you’ve been working on weight loss for a while. Look back on where you were a year ago. Think about all the hard work you put into this new, healthier lifestyle and give yourself a pat on the back for not letting a few weeks out of the year ruin all your hard work.

Accept yourself. There may be slip-ups. There may be some bad decisions. It’s okay. Tomorrow is a new day, a new start. Get back on track now.

Ready for a Healthier Life?

Penn can help you lose weight.

Learn about medical weight loss in Philadelphia, and the Penn Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program at a free information session about weight-loss surgery in Philadelphia.

There, you will hear about your weight-loss surgery options, and how Penn can help you lose weight and get healthy for good.

Register for a free information session today.