Community Corner
Avoiding the Holiday Binge
Weight loss challengers struggle to stay on track during Valentine's Day and St. Patty's celebrations.
This week I met with Andy Calise, Seekonk Total Fitness’s head trainer for Team Camo and he reported "the workouts are still going strong and this past weekend the Challengers ran in the St. Pat’s 5K which was a great experience for everyone. Some people set personal bests some people got through it and both things are accomplishments. “
However Andy went on to say that “In Week eight, the participants are facing some real tests with their diets challenging what we’ve taught them about how to think of . These are challenges will be present throughout the rest of their lives. For the most part Challengers have stuck to their trainer’s plans and have been able to isolate themselves from outside influences, avoiding those situations where they’ll make poor decisions, but we’re human and social and that’s not way to live.“
Outside Influences And Feeling Left Out
Find out what's happening in Attleborowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Andy explained “Outside influences come in many forms and are prevalent and constant. Trying to help someone stay on a restrictive meal plan is like trying to keep an alcoholic sober in a bar. Food and beverage are a default setting for our interactions. We meet for drinks, have meetings at restaurants, have a meal with someone if we want to get to know them better and even key religious traditions involve meals and drink.“
Over the past eight weeks, the Challengers have confronted two big social holidays that involve consumption – Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. People can use the excuse of holidays to abandon their plans. Many of us associate Valentine’s Day as a dinner and St. Patrick’s Day to consume large quantities of beer. Typically someone’s mindset is that if they don’t engage in eating and drinking, they’ll feel left out. But eventually the Challengers will find a health balance to enjoy themselves in situations like holiday celebrations – the celebration will become less about the food and more about the people they’re with.
Find out what's happening in Attleborowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Team Support
Team support is incredibly important since fatigue of the Challenge has set in. Even though some Challengers at this point might has thought to themselves “I’ve had enough and want to press the I quit button,” they feel a responsibility to their teammates and move back to the plan and towards making positive lifestyle changes.
Check back next for Week nine updates. Week 10, the final week, is rapidly approaching.
