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Maintain Your Diet and Enjoy the Holidays

BY CORY FREEMAN

We are fast approaching the holiday season. This tends to be the most challenging time of year to maintain the diet we choose for the physique we want. Often, what happens is we have an all or nothing attitude when it comes to diet and nutrition.

The truth is that 100% compliance to a diet is not sustainable for more than a few months at a time. What I’d like to propose is that we subscribe to an 80/20 philosophy. This is how I maintain a balance of foods for fuel and foods that I enjoy. Eighty percent of the calories I consume are from whole foods that are specific to achieving my fitness and physique goals. I allow myself up to 20% of my calories to come from food that I enjoy.

What this looks like when applied is that the vast majority of my planned meals and snacks are healthy options. I do, however, give myself wiggle room to have part of a donut or cookie that someone brought into the office to share. Perhaps, I’m just in the mood for something delicious after dinner, and so I indulge in a small bowl of ice cream. With this being my year-round nutrition philosophy, I tend to be more lenient during the holiday season.

Each day I commit to sticking to my healthy eating habits, but on the days I know I will be attending holiday parties or dinners I reduce the calories I eat during the day. I do not skip any meals, ever. With the reduced calories during the day, it allows me to eat those delicious desserts and rich foods we enjoy during this season, and I do so without feeling guilty. I then get back on my usual eating schedule and meal plan the next day.

This method allows me to enjoy the holiday season and keeps me on track for my fitness goals at the same time. If you nd yourself going days in a row where you have a di cult time getting back to eating healthy and consistently, then simply just let that be part of your fitness journey and get back to your 80/20 ratio as soon as you can. You will feel better physically and emotionally as you return to healthy eating.

Happy holidays, everyone. Wishing you happiness and joy in your journey through life.

CORY FREEMAN

is a two-time first-place national bodybuilding champion, having won both of his first-place titles, The Men’s Classic Physique Master’s Over 35 at the 2019 NPC Viking Championship and at the 2019 NPC Masters USA in his rookie year. Cory works as a physical therapist in the home health industry.