BambiS - Kudos to you for doing your best to adhere to the recommendations, even when occasional lapses may sneak their way into your day! The holiday-adjacent food environment can be quite challenging to navigate, right? Making a habit of always eating adherent foods before venturing into those more uncertain terrains seems like a very wise practice. I am definitely looking forward to the new year, as well.
Rebecka22 - Any significant change to our immediate food environment and/or our regular routine is bound to have an effect upon the ease with which we're able to adhere to the recommended pattern of behavior, right? For many, the holiday season brings significant changes to both of those factors, and added social constraints can make it an especially challenging time. I totally get what you mean about it feeling easy to avoid animal foods, while "vegan" junk seems like a more difficult obstacle. When you think of those two categories, what differences come to mind for you? Conversely, in what ways are they similar? Don't forget to give yourself credit for all the recommended behaviors you've been able to stick with consistently, week in and week out.
Rebecka22 wrote:I am trying not to be too hard on myself and just take it one choice at a time.
Good for you! We were notified that our flight was cancelled about an hour before we were set to head to the airport, so we are cozy at home and definitely grateful not to be stranded somewhere. Have a wonderful holiday!
VegSeekingFit - Your reference to "holiday learning opportunities" brought a big smile to my face, Stephanie!
You are clearly putting that idea into practice as you make your way through these holiday events.
VegSeekingFit wrote:Feeling mostly fantastic and focusing on the thought pattern that this way of eating is forever (no need to get upset over a miss) … so assess situation / other options / ways of handling and MOVE FORWARD by being kind to yourself. I am seriously getting pretty good at the being kind to yourself thing!
This is so awesome! I really enjoy
Caroline Jordan's workout videos for indoor exercise. Try to stay warm, have a lovely holiday, and let us know how that "Lemon Twist-alike" works out!
Hjklost55 - Awesome work, Holly! You are making an outstanding effort toward being well-prepared and guarding your success throughout the holiday season.
I could not be more in agreement with you; it comes down to PLANNING and PREPARATION (and practice, too). Onward!
Gimmelean - Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a reality where vendors marketed candy as "tasting like grapes" rather than the reverse?
Our flight was cancelled BEFORE we left for the airport, so we definitely lucked out; we were disappointed to miss spending Christmas with my wife's father, but we're looking forward to seeing him for New Year's Day. I very much can relate to what you wrote about sitting down and mindfully enjoying a "real meal." It almost always makes for a more satisfying and fulfilling experience for me.
You've taken the time to think through and examine these "seasonal stumbles" AND formulate specific actions to address them - excellent! Your points in preparation for the new year seem sensible to me. A note about the air-fried bananas: I can imagine them being prepared in such a way that they are suitable for MWL, but I can also see how they could be dried out to the point of becoming something of concern. Essentially, the distinction would be comparable to what Jeff discusses in
this thread in reference to homemade potato chips vs. "chubby chips" or steak fries. As long as there is still moistness to the banana, I would think it is fine to include. Happy holidays!
Greens - Cheers to you for making planning and preparation work to support your efforts, Marilyn! Hearty Dal soup sounds pretty delightful to me in this cold weather, too.
Progress > perfection, right? Keep the course and have a happy holiday!
Lizzy_F - That feeling of "being back on firm ground" feels pretty good, right? I think the advice from your Support Specialist is really excellent.
I also want to take the time to acknowledge all the amazing results you have achieved over the course of this year - that is what this is all about.
In regard to getting back on track in the wake of a lapse, an initial question I would ask myself is why the lapse occurred - was it an intentional, considered choice or an unplanned occurrence driven by environment, situation or other stimuli? Different tactics might apply for different root causes. For example, planning, preparation and practice are almost always the remedy for unplanned lapses. I'm pretty conscientious and have always tended to overprepare, so for me
planned digressions actually tended to be a more significant challenge. I would have something along the lines of Rip's Big Bowl Cereal or some WFPB baked confection or some mixture of dates and nuts to "celebrate" something. For me, this tended to send me right into the Pleasure Trap, and I would feel very out of control and even engage in borderline binge-eating behavior (all on "healthy" but very calorie rich plant foods). I really hated how that made me feel, feeling not in control of my behavior was unpleasant and worrying to me. Ultimately, I decided I would rather just completely avoid the Pleasure Trap instead of periodically needing to fight my way out of it. Arriving at that conclusion took quite a bit of time, and many little "lessons". Moving away from the idea that lapses are "failures," and instead framing them as opportunities for learning and growth was a big revelation for me; I was able to see how each stumble, when assessed, adjusted for and ameliorated made my practice stronger and more resilient going forward. Think about what you really want, what your most important goals are, and how best to achieve that. Those answers aren't always the same for everybody.
Lizzy_F wrote:I always need to keep in mind too, that this isn’t only about weight. Weight is just one of many health indicators. BMI is just one of many. Eating the wrong food even if my weight seems right is NOT the path to good health.
Very true! This is why my favorite health "test" is Jeff's
Plate Test. Pat yourself on the back for all the successes of this year, treat yourself with kindness and compassion, focus on the future outcomes you most desire, and be well!
Noella - I'm so glad to know you are experiencing daily reductions in pain - may that pattern continue! I think anyone would agree that your present situation is extremely challenging, and there are numerous obstacles in the path of your adherence. Don't beat yourself up. What advice or comfort might you give to a dear friend in the same situation? Can you offer at least that much grace and love to yourself? I can totally identify with the desire or need to "cheer myself up" when experiencing pain and debility. What are some things that might feel comforting for you? I think some feeling of sadness is a completely normal response to a loss of mobility and physical discomfort. Maybe your loved ones would be willing and able to offer some comfort and assistance? I'm thinking of you, wishing you the best, and hoping that your recovery is as easy as possible with the very best outcomes. Take care!
Last edited by Mark Cooper on Tue Dec 27, 2022 4:30 am, edited 1 time in total.