Dry November, dry December, dry January...
Same thing every year...
"All those holidays, end-of-year get-togethers, Christmas markets make healthy eating and living basically impossible. So much junk food, sweets and booze has already gone into my mouth in the past month that those last two weeks up to New Year's Eve don't matter either. From 1 January, though, I will start doing healthy again."
I had the opportunity to experience this phenomenon up close for many years in the gyms where I worked personal training have given. The beginning of January is full again, while a few weeks later the calm returns as many realise that the beach season is still far away. Often, these people come back for a month or two in April. The all-or-nothing thinking is for many people the reason why they see their health deteriorate rather than improve year after year.
And the health business is obviously capitalising on this with crash methods that offer quick results but often do more harm than good in the long run.
If I mentor someone who has never done anything in the field of healthy life then that is often easier than someone who has had many years yoked in weight and/or behaviour.
Average long-term behaviour
Healthy living is all about long-term average behaviour. If, if you want to lose weight, you are too strict with yourself at certain times, you will be affected by compensatory behaviour eventually get it all back... with interest! This means that if you want to achieve and maintain really good results you have to understand the art of moderation.
So that you have more your average behaviour is going to monitor rather than blind yourself to that number on the scale and today's calorie intake. And that's not to say you can't totally freak out every now and then. On the contrary, but you make sure you correct for this in the days surrounding it.
In that case, your average behaviour could then still be good enough on a weekly or monthly basis to your goals achieve and maintain.
No need for a dry January
In November and December, too, it is advisable to proceed this way. What doesn't come off doesn't need to come off, and when you enjoy yourself in moderation, there is no real need for a 'dry January'.
Personally, I take a look at my diary every week, what occasions there are where I want to let go of the reins liberally. I will anticipate that at the intervening moments by, for example, being a bit stricter with myself after a bad day or eating a bit less in advance when I expect it to be a calorie feast is going to be. This really is a lot easier and more effective than punishing yourself hard in January. After all, with a crash diet, you are literally and figuratively selling yourself short.
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