I don’t like forced dichotomies; i.e. either or decisions, when neither apply.

Festive does not have to be feast or out of control eating and drinking and “fastive” doesn’t need to be famine.

The holidays can be fun and healthful and successful if you make them that way. Your task is to guarantee that you do.
I get asked for tips this time of year, tips about what to do about holiday weight gain. So here goes, here are some of my tips. I hope they are helpful.

Tip number one. Implement the tips. Tips without implementation have no value. They are only other ideas that get filed in your “I know that file!”

Listen to and this holiday season follow the tips that you have already heard during all the years you have been hearing about and reading tips about holiday eating and drinking. I am sure you have heard many valuable tips. Some of mine will be repeats of wisdom learned elsewhere.

For many of you, it is not the tips that you lack, it is the willingness to comply with them. Usually the problem isn’t the validity of the tips, it is about mindset, about your mindset and that you believe that knowing what to do is the same as actually and willfully doing it.

You need to implement the tips, not just once but as often as they apply.

If you are unwilling to follow the wise tips of others who have preceded me, the likelihood is that you won’t follow my tips either. I don’t mean to sound cynical to those of you who this doesn’t apply to, only to those to which it does. This year your task is to become the follower of tips rather than the collector of tips that you promptly ignore.

Accept my challenge. Change your paradigm. Change your behavior.
Tip 2. Start by changing your mindset.

Begin with the idea that the greatest gift that you can give yourself this year is a healthy trim body for life. Remember it is not what the food pushers of the world or your friends or family offer or sell, it is what you accept, buy, eat or drink.

In a few moments, I will list my other eight top tips for the holidays but first some ideas, some truths, I believe about what the opposition is doing while you remain unprepared, getting ready to be festive.

The holiday saviors, the merchants and party throwers of the world have already started to fatten up the Christmas Goose. The problem is the goose is you.

Rather than rubbing your neck to force the grain down your throat, they have already begun to sell you holiday spirit. The parties are being planned, the sales are coming and the invitations are beginning to arrive.

For many of you, these are predictable traditions, the same parties, the same people, the same temptations, the same foods and drinks and problems to be re-experienced this year. You know them well.

This year your task is to behave differently in similar circumstances. You can CHOOSE to behave differently, to say yes to your plan rather than feeling awkward having to say no to theirs.

This year you can say: I CHOOSE: … ! and then DO what you CHOOSE!

For many, holiday spirit equals excess: excess food and drink and spending and... and… and…!

The purpose of many of those others that you associate with is to get you to party, to eat, to drink, to spend, to fatten their bottom line or their egos, for you to be festive the way they determine festive to be. It is their definition of a good time. It doesn’t have to be yours. You party your way.

Many people get insulted if you won’t eat their food or have a drink with them.

Your task is to beat them to the punch by having a proactive plan that prevents your fat bottom from being manipulated by their marketed or familial/friendly CRAP! (Created Realities Appearing Real).

Your plan needs to anticipate situations where you have had difficulties or might have difficulties again this party/holiday season and to proactively plan to handle them successfully your way.

The following are some ideas that I have.

I repeat: The best ideas are the ones that you already know, agree with and are truly prepared to support this year.

Remember this usually isn’t a question of knowing what to do. It is a question of developing the plan and mindset that truly commits you to implementing the plan.

Start developing the plan now and start practicing now. You need to become an expert now before you are flooded with temptation and the need to be festive their way.

Tip 3. Your task is to never shop, party or eat when hungry. The temptation is too great when hungry.

Tip 4. Never shop, eat or party when stressed. You need to calmly CHOOSE what you are going to DO so that your determined clear mind is running the show.

Tip 5. Never shop, eat, drink or go to a party when it their idea not yours. This is your time to succeed and to be proud of yourself, not to be obligated to their way of being festive.

Tip 6. Never shop, eat or drink from urgency; that you must have it NOW or it might be unavailable later or sold out at this price. You determine what, how, when, where and with whom you eat, drink and be merry. You control your festive not them, unless you let them.

Tip 7. Always shop, eat and drink from now on for health, wellness and real stress relief, not tonight’s binge and tomorrow’s hangover and regrets. See your way through the event so that you have figured out what you need to do to succeed and then follow that plan.

Tip 8. Always shop for the wellness of others, it helps you encourage them while reinforcing your need for wellness. Bring something healthy to the party, something that you love, that you are willing to eat and drink and willing to share. It guarantees that you can eat and drink from your plan not theirs.

Tip 9. Always guarantee that you eat and drink from your wellness plan, if necessary, eat before you go to the party. Drink water and beverage, not just beverage.

Tip 10. Always remember that festive means celebrating your success today without having to be regretful tomorrow.

That means you need to make peace with yourself and have the personal or professional support necessary to develop and stick to your positive, healthful party season plan. By doing so you can find joy and celebration in your heart complementary others without having to stuff your gut or cook your goose.

Enjoy the holidays your way, not theirs, with supportive thems, not because of them.
To your health and wellness!
Happy Holidays.

Author's Bio: 

I am a Personal Development and Wellness Coach for successful people; i.e. people, like you, who can DO what you intend to DO when you know What to DO and How and have the support necessary to Succeed.
I began my professional career in 1971 working with addicts on the streets of New York City. I was quickly known as the 90 Day Wonder. It was a term of derision. They mocked me, knowing full well that I had no right to pretend that I knew the "Truths" of their lives or their circumstances. Thankfully I was smart enough to agree with them. They were right. I didn't know their truths or their circumstances and what I learned in college didn't teach me this either.

I, however, knew that they KNEW and if I could show them the honor and respect that they were worthy of, once they trusted me, I might be able to help them.
I respected, they trusted, they got help and I made a career decision to respect the fundamental differences in people, and with their permission to help them with our fundamental similarities.

I have been doing this work ever since. You see I learned "It" is about Helping YOU and them with Your "It", Your Fat, Your Life with permission and respect.

I have over 50,000 hours of "in chair" experience helping people like YOU SUCCEED!

I have lived a life that includes highlights and failure, burnout and recovery. I have been there and done that. My task is to help if I can and to refer elsewhere as appropriate.

My goal is to help you Lose Fat and to build A Fat Fight Plan, a Life Plan that you can self monitor effectively and proudly for the rest of your life.