January Jeans 2014 Have a Script To Turn Down Holiday Food

January Jeans 2014 Have a Script To Turn Down Holiday Food


Welcome to all of the January Jeans Club 2014 members so far! This is a very diverse International group--including members from Finland, Australia, Belgium, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. states of Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, California, and Wisconsin, and more! How Cool! I will make up a list--so you have new blogs to visit and new friends to meet. :D

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I think, for me, the most important thing about not overeating during the holiday season is to have a well-constructed mental plan and a script to say.

We've all been through holidays before. Most of them are remarkably the same. In fact, it is often the very same family members, friends, and colleagues at work who push high calorie food at us during the very same get-togethers and parties. And if we don't know certain new parties and people, we can make an educated guess. Nothing is really surprising about the situation.

We can make a great plan about how to tackle each event. I personally think that having a short script greatly helped me last year:

1. The person pushes the food.
2. I say, "Oh, your food looks so delicious! But I'm in this holiday weight loss contest, and I don't want to lose." (Sometimes, I add, "I mean--I don't want to lose the contest, but I do want to lose the pounds.")
3. A friend from TOPS (my weekly weight loss group) suggested ending with, "Thank you for your support."
4. Now, you set up the food pusher for 2 choices: 1) wanting you to lose your contest by eating too much; or 2) supporting you by wanting you to win.

I also tell the hostess/host that "I didn't come to this party for the
food--I came to see you!" A big smile or hug, whichever is appropriate, is good at this point. I've had
great success with this script. You give the hostess/host a chance to be
on your successful health team.

Some people will keep insisting, "have some..." (which doesn't work for most of us), to which you have to say the script a second time in slightly different wording--but equally as "No," in meaning. Definitely--have a second version of the script ready. You probably already know who is going to need to be told twice.

The wording changes slightly per individual. You'll deal with your aunt somewhat differently than a business friend. At a party, I might add a joke to this.

My comment has often turned into heart-felt conversations about better eating and exercising. Many people remember my fatter years and see me as a health success. Honestly, people ask me about exercising and dieting at almost all get-togethers I attend. It's a popular party conversation for the people far away from the food tables.

You should feel good about being a positive health influence to people around you. Hopefully, your positive role modeling helps them eat less during the holiday season too. Many people told me last year how they felt much more "comfortable" at a party when I was turning down food beside them. It made it easier for them to turn down food too!. Positive peer support.

When you turn down the holiday food, you're doing a good thing. Own it with pride. And still say lovely things to your family and friends--but for non-food related reasons. When we place a higher priority on people, rather than food, it shows in gracious attitude towards others.

What do *you* think? Many of you have been not gaining weight during the holiday season for years! What are you saying at parties to the food pushers? What's your script? If this is the first year, what do you plan to include in your script? And, of course, anything else you'd like to add.

Have a delightful day!

:-) Marion