Cori (00:00):
Welcome to the Redefining Strength podcast, everything you need to succeed on your health and fitness journey, even the stuff you don't want to hear. You want to know what sabotages your success every holiday season? It's not the holiday meal. It's not the celebrations. It's not imperfect macros. It's not a missed workout. It's the guilt. As Michelle amazingly put it, it's not the gravy, it's the guilt. And then today I'm really excited to dive into why that guilt so often sabotages our ultimate success and we feel like we're starting over in January. So Michelle, thank you so much for joining me today.

Michelle (00:37):
Thanks for having me. I'm excited.

Cori (00:39):
So let's talk about why guilt is ultimately the worst thing we can have or do to ourselves in terms of our success and our results, despite the fact that we often think about, well, it's not eating well or it's skipping my workouts, but it's really the guilt that is the problem.

Michelle (00:57):
Absolutely. So I mean, oftentimes we do run into that little bit where sometimes people feel like they have a license to overeat a little bit around the holiday season. It's easier to do. You're confronted with more opportunities of delicious food. And a lot of times food is part of the celebration. But just because even if you were to overeat for a day or even for a week, that's often not the culprit of the true weight gain. What hashly is the issue is the cycle of the guilt. And what I mean by that is I often see guilt leading to weight gain in a couple of ways. One being you overeat, so you try to overcorrect and you either do extra workouts or you do a bigger calorie deficit. Or one of the most common ones is you unintentionally undereat because if you ate over eight, you probably aren't as hungry the next day.

(01:49):
But this all leads to a binge and restrict. You binge workouts or you binge maybe on food and then you restrict or you overdo it with workouts. And that can either set you up for more injury risk, easier burnout. If you all of a sudden are doing tons of workouts, that's not going to be sustainable. If all of a sudden you're under eating, guess what? The next day you're going to be hungrier and your body lights consistency. So it's that guilt of, "Oh, I overdid it that day, so I need to work out harder or I need to eat less." And that's why just accept that you overate that day and go right back to tracking. And this is why I especially encourage tracking after the holiday because it can also keep you from unintentionally undereating and underfueling and getting into that restrict binge cycle.

(02:40):
And the big thing is, is guilt comes with actually physical responses. Your body is going to release more cortisol. You're going to have that spike and cortisol leads to increase in appetite, especially cravings for sugar, which does make it easier to, again, overeat. It makes your body more prone to actually storing fat, especially around your midsection. And it's going to interfere with your sleep, with your energy levels. If you feel guilty, you're going to have a cortisol spike, and that cortisol spike is going to lead you to have less motivation to actually get in a workout, to actually feel like you're going to track macros. So this is the biggest factor in actually seeing that holiday weight gain.

Cori (03:28):
You covered so many different things there of how guilt creates a spiral. And I think it really is that binge or strict cycle that so often sabotages us, especially around this time of year, because that guilt creates that overcorrection. And when we overcorrect, we don't recognize the mindsets that's creating in terms of our viewpoint of the habits. So if you feel guilty and then you cut your calories lower while you're tracking or you feel like your workouts now have to be an hour and you're slaughtering yourself so you're not as happy with your training, all of a sudden these mindsets get put onto these habits. We start viewing tracking as restrictive. We start seeing tracking macros as this really hard, complicated, annoying thing we don't like because it's done in a way at a time where we can't really mentally even handle that load with the travel of the holidays or the other stressors.

(04:20):
And then we start sleeping worse, which then creates more negativity and more feeling bad. So it's amazing how one single mindset can have not only such an impact on our internal balance, but also how we then view the habits and that relationship with the habits then impacts how we even go into the new year and how we can make changes. So how do we start to eliminate some of that guilt because it can have such a far reaching impact?

Michelle (04:50):
And I think that you kind of touched on the biggest thing is first you have to recognize it has to be a mindset shift. And this is, I fully admit this is easier said than done, but it doesn't mean that you can't set yourself up with tools so you get better at this each year. And that's one of the big things is even if you're like, oh, it wasn't perfect, guess what? You're giving yourself data to even be like, "All right, so let's readapt for next year. What am I going to do different for next year?" And I always encourage, if we come out of the holiday season and you know things that you need to work on, I make my clients actually put it into their calendar a couple of weeks before for next year so that they get a reminder of like, "Hey, last year that we did this, this year we need to focus on this, " so that they have those little cues even already set up for the next year because that's when what we want to start working on is you need to start putting a plan in place as soon as you learn from your missteps this year.

(05:50):
So the biggest thing is actually having a plan to break the cycle, you have to go in with a plan. As cliche as it is, we always hear that saying like, "If you don't have a plan, you plan to fail," but it is true. We need to have a plan. And the biggest thing that I always want to focus on with that is you need to own your choice and not feel guilty for the choice you make. So that's going to be a big part of it. And the biggest thing I see is, "Oh, I'm just going to go into this holiday season. I'm going to be perfect. I'm just going to avoid the traits. I'm just never going to have it. " And that, again, sets you up for this perfection mindset. And if you misstep, then it's like, "Well, I didn't do it perfectly, so I might as well not do it.

(06:39):
" And instead embrace what's actually feasible? What are those traditions that you're not willing to give up?

Cori (06:48):
This really reminds me of that Eisenhower quote, which our plans are useless, but planning is indispensable because we have to have that plan in place to go in knowing what we want and what ultimately will help us get to where we want to go. And then we have to recognize that no matter what we go in with in terms of our intentions, in terms of the plan, things are going to be thrown our way. And maybe we didn't plan for that person to bring our favorite dessert. And so we went in thinking, "Okay, well, I'm going to have this and this food and this is going to fit my day in this way." And then our favorite thing is there and we know that if we don't have that, we will really miss out. Having that plan in place can help you say, "Okay, well, I went in knowing I do want to accomplish this.

(07:30):
I do want to stay on track in this way towards my goal, but maybe I'll either then bring this thing home or I'll have one of it at the party and I won't feel bad for having this because ultimately that will still keep me on track enough and I can ultimately tweak later on. " But it's truly owning what are some non-negotiables for us around the holidays and how fast do we want results and what will ultimately create the best balance over the year? Because I think so often we do go in so focused on whether or not we messed up that one day, that one celebration if we handled it in the way we thought we should, over recognizing, okay, well, how will this impact everything else? And we'll ultimately, sometimes doing a little too much, we'll say overindulging in things for that night ultimately makes us happier and makes us say, "Hey, I got to live life and now I can go back to these habits because I see how this allows me to enjoy these days without restriction or guilt." So it's understanding that with these plans, we're giving ourself that framework to help us better navigate these times and ultimately create more balance over the year.

(08:32):
And it goes back to also understanding that plans have to be based on this time of year over an ideal at another time of year even.

Michelle (08:40):
Yeah. And I'm even going to add to that because 100% right, but it also has to be your plan. So often during this time of year, I'll hear like, "Oh, I'm going to do this because so- and-so does it or my best friend does this and this works for her." And that's great. It works for her, but she's not you. She may not have the same connection with certain foods. She may not have as many family traditions or gatherings or things that you actually have during your holiday season and everyone's holiday season is going to be a little bit different. So it is truly knowing yourself and taking that time. And I even encourage, write it down. What actually are those foods that make the holiday season your holiday season? And maybe you don't really have a ton, but maybe you also know that you're going to be at a relative's house and it's going to be a little bit harder to stick to some things.

(09:36):
So you're going to plan on packing or volunteering to bring certain items to make it easier for you. But again, it can't be someone else's plan. It has to be yours. And the other key thing that I always have to emphasize is I say sometimes it is appropriate to choose memories over macros at times. When you truly look and you're like, "This is what I value. This is what I want out of this holiday season and I'm not willing to sacrifice that. " And that's okay to own that, but that does not mean that this is also like that does not mean you have a license to completely go this whole holiday season and be like, "Oh, just memories over macros." No, you're picking and choosing. And once you make that choice, you're going to own that choice and you're going to stick to it.

(10:23):
And if you don't stick to it, you're not going to punish yourself, you're not going to try and overdo it or overcorrect. You're just going to simply implement the habits that you need to for that next day.

Cori (10:36):
We talked a lot about the mindset behind the guilt or the mindset of guilt that creates the biggest problem. And you hit on three key things that start to help you address why guilt starts in the first place. One was ownership, right? Taking ownership of what you want out of this holiday, what is truly important to you, and even writing it down physically because that physical act of writing something down or putting it on our calendar or whatever else creates that accountability, but also that ownership. And then recognizing that as you're taking ownership, you are making choices based on what you need. And when you're making those choices based on what you need, you're assessing where you are right now and what you want. And I say that because there might be holiday seasons where you're like, "Hey, this goal is very important to me, so I am going to make more sacrifices." Or even saying, "Hey, every other holiday season, I've tried to make these sacrifices in an attempt to reach a goal faster and it's ultimately sabotaged me.

(11:32):
So I'm making this other choice." But when you see it as a choice where you go into a party saying, "Hey, I'm not going to drink, or I'm not going to have these things, or I am going to act in this way." And I like that positive reframing of, "I'm choosing to act in this way because this gets me to X over saying I'm not going to have something." You're making a choice. That sacrifice isn't being forced on you. It's something you've decided you deserve. And I mean that in a positive way, you deserve to get to the goal at the pace that you want. So it is owning those choices and really recognizing that you are planning for who and what you are right now and the goal you want right now, knowing that at a different time, you can make a different decision.

Michelle (12:13):
And I think it's so important too, I think sometimes when you hear the word sacrifice, like what are you willing to sacrifice? People just think that comes with a negative ... It seems negative, but it's really, it's about owning the choices and owning your, like you said, owning that pace. The faster you want to get to a goal, and your goal may be great and that there's nothing wrong with pursuing a goal, but you have to then accept the faster you want to get there, it is going to come with more sacrifices. And you have to compare from season to season. Is prioritizing it so high during this season, is that actually what slowed down your progress towards that goal in the long run? And this is something to, this is again why being able to talk through a coach or even being able to compare what you've done in years past to this year and being able to tweak that now and really like have that goal setting plan during the season can be so helpful because oftentimes this isn't ... For some people, I have clients that are like, "Oh, I do a bunch of hiking.

(13:18):
I do a bunch of camping. Summer is hard because I have that out of control."That's a big part of what I'm not willing to sacrifice. And those are good things, but they also accept actually around the holiday season, that's easier for me to dial in. And for some people, it's opposite. They have more control in the summer, they have more time for meal prep and during the holiday season, that's where they do their most travel. That's where they have a little bit more barriers. So it is also owning your phases of, "Hey, when is it more realistic to be in maintenance and just make sure that we're not gaining a ton?" And when is it going to be, "Okay, we're going to dial in a little bit, be a little bit tighter and be a little bit stricter on and dial things in because this is our season that we tend to lose." So I know not everyone likes to always hear that because again, it does depend on what your goal is, but sometimes the biggest victory is truly coming out of the holiday season and not feeling like you gained the holiday five to 10 pounds.

Cori (14:16):
It's not always direct forward linear progress and often true progress is never linear, but it is recognizing that even maintaining is amazing or being a little bit better than you had been in previous holidays so that over the course of the year, you can see that snowball results. And I really quickly want to circle back to you bringing up sacrifice and it sounding negative. And it made me go down the path of so much of what also creates guilt is the language that we use. And what language we perceive as negative or positive can really depend. And I bring this up because sacrifice can sound really negative, right? You're giving up something. You can even feel like you're forced to have to not do it. It's painful, but I also so connect sacrifice with success is sacrifice. Success reveals my strength because I'm showing myself the hard that I can overcome and the identity shift that I can be empowered to have.

(15:09):
So for me, owning success is sacrifice is a positive, but if that affirmation or that statement to you is negative, it's also understanding the power of your language to create guilt or alleviate guilt. When we say, "I'm bad for doing X," that's going to create guilt. So I'm bad because I had that extra cookie, you're going to feel guilty about it. Instead, if you say, "Hey, I chose to have this extra cookie because they were really good and I'll find this balance X, Y, and Z other place," you're not going to feel guilty for it. So it's recognizing too the language we're using to describe our habits during the holidays, which I think also then relates back to how we're creating habit expectations and the minimums we're setting for ourselves. Because while we could set six days a week of working out, because it's our ideal at other times, it's doable at other times, if we only do three, we can feel unsuccessful and create that guilt over if we were to own that we could only do three days a week and then do three or even four, we're going to feel successful.

(16:06):
So it is recognizing the power of that language and therefore how we're setting the habits to change our internal monologue that can be very powerful for alleviating some of the guilt as well.

Michelle (16:19):
I love that because it is true, right? It has to come with that mindset shift and to be able to kind of correct that language. And I think it's key too, because I always get asked like, "Well, how do you do that? How do you know you're doing that well?" And the fact is because that has been your internal monologue for so long, you're not going to go into this holiday season and it's just like, "Nope, I know sacrifice is success." That's not going to be running in your head constantly. You probably are initially going to be feeling like kind of the other way of like, "Oh yeah, I feel guilty. I'm sacrificing. I'm giving up." And it's not that ... I always challenge people. I go, "It's not that initial thought that's the problem." I go, "It's the follow-up thought." Your internal monologue right now may be saying that, but you have to have that pause and just like either you ... And as silly as it sounds, sometimes even verbally saying it out loud actually it has power to it, but it is even thinking, "Oh no, wait, stop that thought." And then your next thought needs to correct that initial thought because I think so often we do have that internal monologue, but we need to put in that pause and actually be like, "Nope, that is not how I want to think about this and correct it mentally and maybe even actually, like I said, verbally say it out loud if you have to and to really get it to sink in.

(17:44):
" It's not going to be perfect, especially if this is newer to you, but the more you do it, the more you practice at it, the easier it becomes and the easier it'll be next year.

Cori (17:54):
I love that you brought up pausing because I think that's something that is so important and something that is the biggest game changer. Self-awareness, reflection, they are superpowers if we use them. And I say this as someone who's super hypercritical of themselves. If you ask me what mistakes I made and even something that did well, I'm probably way more able to list out all the things that I see are wrong with something over the things that I see are right with it, even if it was like something that was super successful and people raved about. But I've recognized that by doing that, what I thought was like, "Oh, see, no one's going to trick me. I'm always going to come up with critiques to make myself better. I'm not going to delete myself." What I saw as a positive, I realized did have a negative side to it and it was also not allowing me to double down on some of the things that were really working.

(18:39):
So as you even go through this holiday season, if you have an event where you feel like you didn't handle it in the exact way that you want, instead of coming back and listening out all the things you did wrong, come back and first even recognize the areas for improvement because a lot of times when we recognize those positive, when we recogniz those strengths and we find ways to double down on them, some of the negatives do go away just in that we're building up those strengths. And yes, sometimes you do have to address the weakness or issue because there's sort of like two sides of the same coin, but so often we just only focus on the negatives which can create that negative spiral and then also make us feel like we don't have the willpower or discipline to make those changes. So I would urge you to reflect on any situation that maybe didn't even go as planned and say all the things that did go really well with it to then find ways to do more of that because a lot of times that does allow you to build as well.

Michelle (19:29):
I love that. Yeah. Always focusing on what works so you could do more of it versus, okay, yes, we know what didn't work, but emphasizing what did work is always a key thing as well.

Cori (19:43):
So talking about that, what are some things we can do to go in to the next couple of weeks with the holiday season or even busy times of year or situations where we know we can often personally spiral with guilt to set ourselves up with some minimums that will move us forward or keep that momentum going in a positive direction?

Michelle (20:04):
Absolutely. So the first one is always going to be prioritizing your plate. And I say this and this doesn't mean you need to be a meal. This could be you're going to that appetizer party, which is pretty popular this time of year where there's cookies, there's like charcuterie board type foods. How are you going to actually build your plate? And the very first thing is try your best to focus and prioritize protein first and then veggies. And then that doesn't mean that you can't have the treat. But if you focus on those two things first, one, we're going to make it a little bit easier for you to be able to consciously choose your dessert a little bit better because how much room are you going to have at that point? And then two, we're also going to help you actually stabilize your blood sugar.

(20:50):
So that's key. When we're in situations where you're going to be presented a lot with delicious food, but may not be the highest in nutrition content, we want to make sure that we're always pairing it with protein and fiber so that we can stabilize kind of the higher carb options. And the benefit of that is when you do that, what happens is your blood glucose spikes and then it crashes. Well, your body's natural response to that is, okay, we need some carbs. So you tend to, it becomes easier like if you're at that party for a while to like, "Okay, I'm going to grab another cookie." Versus if you were to start with your protein and fiber and have the cookie, even though it sounds like you're eating more calories, because guess what you are, but you're doing it with a plan. When you do that and it doesn't have that huge spike in the crash, so you're actually able to make smarter choices later on in the evening.

(21:44):
So that's going to be key is actually building every snack plate, every meal with at least focusing on those two things first.

Cori (21:53):
It's the intentionality with what you're doing. And yes, technically maybe you are eating more calories, but it's also the mindset you're going into that with. When you have the cooking, you've decided you're having that with those other things, you're like, "But I'm doing these good things." And it goes back to what I already used with describing the workouts of six where you get in three versus three where you get in three or four. It's the momentum you're sort of building with that where you're like, "Hey, I went in with this plan. I had these good for me things that I know really helped me stay more on track with my macros. I even maybe plan this in, but I'm still also having this balance." And it is looking at everything as all meals are opportunities. And so often we only judge the time of year based on one and let that one snowball into a whole bunch more versus being like, "This is one meal in a lot more meals that I'm having right now.

(22:40):
And if I just embrace what this one meal was and move forward with the others," a lot of times that does stop the spiral. But I think it is really key that that creates that momentum. It's not just purely about calories in versus calories out. As weird as that sounded, as much as yes, from a data standpoint, that is what impacts weight loss with macros and whatnot. It is the mindsets that ultimately dictate our weight loss over the year and the consistency with those habits. And that one meal with a few more calories, if it creates that momentum and lack of guilt will really help. What else can we do to sort of keep that momentum building, find those minimums that move us forward?

Michelle (23:18):
One of my favorite recommendations is, again, look at your calendar, see what's going to be easier for you to be able to get those protein goals or be able to eat a little bit more of a more balanced meal. And if you know there's an event where it's like, "Oh, there's not going to be options there," you need to plan on pregaming. And what I mean by that is you're going to have a higher protein meal or a protein shake before you head to that event. And this is something, and off of this, I'm going to share this because I feel like this kind of ties into this moment as well. Don't compare plates, keep your eyes on your own plate because you have no idea if the person next to you hasn't had anything that day. And so maybe they're eating a ton and you may be thinking, "Man, how can they eat that way and be that size?" Or you may look at someone and be like, "Man, they have a lot of self-control.

(24:09):
I'm not eating as well as they do and I need to eat like they're eating so that I can maybe achieve the same goals they have. " You have no idea if that person came and had a meal before they showed up or had a protein shake before they showed up or if that's their first meal that they've had that day because it ended up being a busy, crazy day. And so yeah, they're trying to get in more calories that day. So there's so much nuances to everyone else's plate, so just focus on yourself and make sure that you're doing the best that you can. So my next tip really is pregame. If you know that you're going to something that's going to be like a cookie party and there's going to be lots of treats around and you may not have an opportunity to really have a full meal, that's when supplementing with a protein shake is going to be a benefit for you.

Cori (25:00):
I have to admit, pregame definitely had a different meaning before talking about it with this, but I think that's such a key thing of going in, having made decisions beforehand to really help you handle that party better. And having been on both sides of not having gone lower calorie or high protein earlier in the day to have that calorie budget for the event so that I could have more foods knowing that I like some of those things, or even having gone in, having had my macros for the day and knowing that I was going to eat a little lighter at the party because it wasn't really a food event that I enjoyed, it is important that you stick to what you want versus looking at what anybody else is doing because you don't ever know. No one knew exactly what I had done on either one of those things, and that was how I was handling it that day.

(25:45):
So it is key that we strategically balance the days around to make room for also what we want. And when you're making room or even having slightly lower calories throughout the day, you're not trying to deprive yourself or overcorrect, you're trying to create balance. And that's the really key thing is that part of this isn't just us talking about the macro numbers over weekly averages, monthly averages, it's the mindsets we're creating, which lead to the consistency and habits long term because so often we do only focus on a day, a week, a month, when it is really that balance even over the year. So if we're focusing on our plate at the party, we're even planning ahead and balancing meals around the rest of the day, pregaming with some protein even, what else can we do to make sure that we're finding our balance so that we don't feel that guilt after the celebrations?

Michelle (26:35):
So an important part of all of this too is because we talk so much about the plate, but you also need to talk about and pay attention to the glass. This is a time of year where holiday drinks can sneak in some extra calories. And of course, we got to talk about alcohol. Oftentimes we're going to have a little bit more oppportunities to be consuming some alcohol. And again, that is okay as long as you plan for it, as long as you are putting it in and you're going in with intentions with it. So just being mindful and if you are, if this is something in the past that you kind of were like, "Oh, I don't really eat that bad, but yeah, I do enjoy having a few more drinks during this time of year." It's, "Okay, well, how can we make that a little bit better?" Oftentimes this is where counterbalancing it with water, having maybe we have a drink limit, you have a drink, but you make sure you're drinking water in between.

(27:31):
There's lots of ways that you can go about that, even being the person that brings the non-alcoholic option to the party and oftentimes you don't feel like you're missing out if you are still sipping on something that's kind of fun and festive. So maybe it's you also putting together that mocktail for you that's going to be a little bit of a lower cap caloric option. And the big thing is with alcohol, oftentimes it does coincide with some lesser food options. Sometimes you're, again, more susceptible to making different food options when it comes to your alcoholic intake. So that's something to be aware of. And if that's something that you know has been an issue for you in the past, how are we going to change it this year?

Cori (28:16):
As a person that considers herself to be a cocktail girl, not wine or beer. So if a party is just that, I won't feel obligated to have wine or beer if those are my options.That's part of my balance, right? I don't enjoy that, therefore I'm not going to have it just to have it, but I do enjoy cocktails. And I do find around the holidays I am having some more, but I'm recognizing too that, and I bring this up because I think it's very key that we understand that just because you can work in the alcohol to your macro ratios, to your calorie limit, so to speak, in your tracker, there's still going to be an impact. And I bring this up not to say don't have it, but recognize that if you're frustrated, you feel like your progress has slowed, even though you are overall hitting your macros, hitting your calories, we have to recognize that this does have impacts in other ways in that it does delay fat oxidation, it does prioritize you first burning the alcohol and utilizing the alcohol.

(29:09):
So it really changes your metabolism and can change your results. So recognizing the impact it has beyond just the calories you're consuming is very important, even in your recovery and then how your workouts go. So as I said, I am a cocktail girl. I will have more cocktails around this time of year, but I'll also recognize the alcohol that for me feels worth that balance and the alcohol that doesn't, while recognizing that it isn't just hitting calories and macros still, that it's noting that this food does have another impact. And again, none of this is bad or good. It's just knowing your balance to know the cost and reward of everything that you're including and also the importance of some of the other habits to balance things out where you do need to maybe prioritize sleep, prioritize movement in a different way, or prioritize, which is your favorite topic, hydration as well.

Michelle (29:54):
Yes. I'm glad you brought it up because of course I was going to cover water, but this is This is a good reminder for everyone because I know it's basic, I know it's so simple, but this is the first habit that tends to go out the door when we get busy, when we're traveling, when we have things that throw us out of our routine is our water intake. As simple as it sounds, I'm going to make a bold statement, but I promise you that if you pay attention to your water intake during the holiday season, you're going to find yourself, one, making better food choices because guess what? When you're slightly dehydrated, our bodies tend to mix up signals of hunger with thirst. And again, that signal for us to eat usually means like, hey, you're more susceptible to choose something less nutritious, higher carb intake because your body's like, "Hey, we need some energy." When it's actually just thirsty, you're going to be able to make better food choices.

(30:51):
Again, it's going to help with that blood sugar balance. You're going to have a sharper mindset. When you're dehydrated, I mean, there's plenty of studies that show how your brain just slightly dehydrated, how it affects it, how you become a little bit slower, how it does affect your choices that you make. So as bold as this sounds, I'm going to tell you that if one of the things that you do this holiday season is simply track your water intake and pay attention to it, you're going to find that it's going to be easier to make other choices, to make smarter choices and to stick to your plans. So I know it's bold of me, but that's what I'm going to tell you is pay attention to your water intake. Be that person that travels with that water bottle. If you're traveling in the plane, planes dehydrate you more.

(31:41):
So if you are someone traveling by airplane, make sure that once you go through ... Why am I blanking on the word? Security. There we go. When you go through security, that you take the time to fill up that water bottle because making sure that you're drinking, and I know no one wants to feel like they have to use the restroom when they're traveling, but you can actually set yourself up with success by just knowing that you're going to have to look for a bathroom that day when you're traveling. So bold, but that's what I'm going to tell you.

Cori (32:15):
Even adding in that hydrating mocktail in between your cocktails if you want, or instead of your cocktails because you want to have something in hand and something delicious, that can be a great way to go as well. I know I've used Ultima. They have not only the mocktail versions, but just the great flavors and you can add it to sparkling water even to make sure that you're staying hydrated, but also having something fun as well if you want to go that route. So there's lots of ways to work in things that can create that overall balance.

Michelle (32:41):
Absolutely. And again, it doesn't need to be huge things. So I love that we're talking about how are we working in that balance? And I think you kind of talked about this a little bit earlier when it's like, okay, maybe you do work out six days a week, but maybe now three days a week is going to be more realistic for you. This doesn't need to be an all or nothing approach. It is just about trying to stay consistent with some of the habits that you have built. If you're traveling, if you're not at home, if you don't have a full gym available to you, you can still get a dang good workout doing body weight using bands, or maybe this is a time that you walk more with your friends and family. You take that time. Maybe your movement is going to look a little bit different this season or during this time for a short period, and that's okay.

(33:28):
But as long as you're putting some emphasis on just trying to get in some movement, that's where consistency lives. That's where you have embraced the habit of movement is important for you. And quite frankly, postparadial walks, walking after you eat, those are hugely beneficial for your digestion, for just making sure you're feeling good. And again, I know I'm talking about blood sugar a lot today, but it is going to even help with some of that blood sugar and those crashes. If you just simply go for a walk after your meal and it doesn't need to be a crazy, you went and walked for an hour, this can be a simple 10 minute leisure walk and talk.

Cori (34:08):
It might even be helpful to shift your mindset from, "I have to work out X days a week to I have to do movement X days a week." Because so much is just keeping in something that prioritizes movement for you and the routine. Even if it's five minutes, six days a week to keep in the habit, that can be enough to help you do more as time allows, a scheduled shift, but it can also keep you motivated because you don't feel like you're failing at something, you don't sort of get out of the habit of making that time for yourself. So it's recognizing that so much of this is about the foundation you're building over exactly what you're even doing. I know that sounds like such a weird mental shift to have. And for me it was because it is the something is better than the nothing, not having that all or nothing mindset with things, but so much is what am I creating at the foundation with these habits and routines and values?

(34:57):
And so when you do move, even if it is five minutes of stretching, that movement is going to often create the desire to do more. It's creating that value of that movement in general. So I do think that's so key. Maybe it is going for walks, maybe it is doing activities with the family because you want to be spending time with them or you're busy or you're not able to go to the gym. Anything to keep that priority a priority for you is really going to pay off long term.

Michelle (35:23):
Absolutely. And I think that comes back to at the end of the day, you need to embrace flexibility during the season. Yeah, you are going to have some meals that may be heavier than others and that's okay. Your workouts and movement may look different than other times of the year, and that's okay too. As long as you are focusing on the overall habits and the consistency, one indulgent mill, one missed workout isn't going to define your health. It's the patterns over time that do.

Cori (35:53):
It's recognizing that flexibility isn't just giving yourself excuses, it's bending with what you need. And it's actually like a super underrated form of strength in my opinion, because we always think about strength as like gridding through no matter what, especially during the season, "No, I got to stick with the habits and do it all right now." And it is like a huge strength to be flexible enough to bend without breaking. So it's morphing those habits into those minimums so that you can keep moving forward where you've kept enough of that groove to want to do more as you start in January or you move forward with new habits in January, but it's recognizing that at least by being flexible, you haven't sort of dug yourself a hole that you're trying to climb out of because there really is no starting over.

Michelle (36:37):
Yeah. And what I always like to tell people, because so often I'll have clients that come in and they're like, "All right, I'm in this program. I want to give it my all. I'm going to be super strict." And it's like, "Well, how have you approached this in the years past and how has that worked for you? " And don't get me wrong, again, we'll talk about goals and really evaluate how much and what our sacrifices are going to be to get to that goal and determine if that's doable and workable. But I will always argue the fact that, and I've seen it and through experience, I will say that the most valuable part of coaching is actually not being like, "Okay, here's when you're doing a cut or here's some strict macros that you're following." The hardest part and where I see the biggest value of coaching is actually in this season when you're trying to figure out that flexibility and really navigating this all, like the consistency, building those habits, embracing flexibility, because there's so much more nuance to it and there's a lot more guidance that needs to be had and a lot more questions from your coach that leads to reflection that actually helps you embrace this season.

(37:46):
And so that's where I think honestly the power, because we always talk about it's not you needing to be more perfect when you're already doing good that makes the biggest difference in your overall progress. It's those seasons where it's harder for you, the seasons where you're not as perfect and you're trying to find that balance that is going to make the biggest difference in that year for you and help you get closer to your overall goal.

Cori (38:14):
The wrong time to start is often the exact right time to start. And off of that, what is one question you wish people would sort of ask themselves today if they are trying to find this holiday balance so it's not that guilt spiral into the new year? And then what would be one action that you would hope people would take this week to help set themselves up for success through the rest of this year?

Michelle (38:36):
The one question I think would be, what did I do last year and what can I improve upon to make it better this year? And then the action to go with it is honestly, as old school as it sounds, I really want you to sit down with a piece of paper, look at your calendar and actually physically write down the, this is what I look forward to, so I'm not going to sacrifice that. So I'm either going to build a plan around it or maybe that is the one day this season that I actually don't track. That's the one day right now that I'm not going to do that because I know food's going to be a bigger part of my tradition. And then it's just the simple, all right, you had that day or you made that choice, own it, next day you're right back to your habits.

Cori (39:26):
So would love to hear from all of you what is one improvement you are making this holiday season to go into the new year stronger and what's one non-negotiable you're owning so that you can work it in to have that balance and not create that guilt. Michelle, thank you so much for joining me today. This was amazing.

Michelle (39:44):
Thanks for having me. Always fun.

*Note: This transcript is autogenerated there may be some unintended errors.