‘Tis the season to be merry! As a result, many of your club’s nutrition clients may be taking a trip to the land of denial, the land of: “It’s the holidays! I can eat whatever I want without consequence.” In your dreams.
During this season of merriment, healthy eating and exercise are the first to go, replaced by oversized sweaters and drawstring sweatpants (or all-purpose pajama pants, your pick). Out of sight, out of mind! Until January 1st, that is, when they have to face the music of a one- to two-pound weight gain, which is the holiday average (five or more pounds for heavier clients).
Are your nutritionists and registered dietitians panicking yet because Bob and Susie have cancelled their last three sessions? If so, here are some excuses they’ve most likely encountered, and tips for counteracting them.
“3 Reasons I Won’t Be Visiting my Nutrition Counselor This Month”
1. I don’t have time to exercise.
Every member is going to have different reasons for not adhering to their exercise program. The holidays is just one of many excuses. According to Psychology Today, the holiday season “presents special risks for those who already have a weight problem. They are most likely to gain five or more pounds and not lose it once the holidays are over.” Remember our sneaky hormone friends, insulin and cortisol? They love the holidays, which is a perfect breeding ground for belly fat storage.
2. A couple months off isn’t going to hurt me.
Actually they can. Six weeks is a significant amount of time to form bad eating habits. Resisting the temptation to indulge will be a lot harder come January. According to the Huffington Post: “Most Americans who gain weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve generally don’t lose that weight ever again. Some meals people eat can add up to 2,000 or more, putting on an extra pound every day. Once they become used to that higher calorie intake, it may seem like normal and they continue on that well after the New Year.”
3. What the hell, I’m tired.
Many of your clients may develop a really stinky holiday spirit of “what the hell” when it comes to their fitness and nutrition goals. Lifestyle found that many will decide to forgo their usual diets and adopt the “year-end mindset of rewarding themselves with too much rest, vacation, and food.” For some, lack of time isn’t the issue. Instead, they may be sensitive to shorter days and prone to seasonal affective disorder, becoming depressed and overeating. Others who aren’t depressed will simply find the temptation of their daily and weekly holiday buffet and goodies too irresistible to give up.
Nobody wants to be on a strict diet during the holidays. Yet, six weeks of sugary, fat-laden goodies will leave a mark. And that mark will account for 51 percent of all weight gained over the entire year!
Sure, your nutritionists and registered dietitians can be a little flexible and soften their approach a bit, but they shouldn’t let their clients give up! They should remind their clients of how far they’ve come and what the journey is all about. Clients can’t achieve long-term health and fitness if they’re constantly starting and stopping. Waiting for the right time to start a healthy lifestyle is really just a way to procrastinate.
Melissa Garcia is a personal trainer and nutrition specialist at Treehouse Athletic Club in Draper, Utah. She can be reached at melissag@tacfitness.com.
