The Tribune

Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic.

‘Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la, la la la la! Oh, do I remember holidays growing up. It was always a big deal with lots and lots of food. I remember my entire family would get together and spend time and exchange gifts and eat….oh man, did we eat! Then, as an adult working in the bank, those few days of feasts on Christmas, Boxing Days and New Year’s turned into a party and eating season starting from Thanksgiving and only ending that first week in January. There were lots of parties and mixers, and events and parties to go to. This left me often 10 or 15 pounds heavier as I started my New Year’s resolutions.

So please listen up. As the festive season approaches with all of the fun food and drink, I would like to share some strategies that I learned over the years of transforming my body from the 306 pounds, losing 110 pounds in the process. While there are some studies supporting the notion that the holiday season is the worst time to start any sort of wellness programming, I actually think it’s the best time...if done right, meaning if we are realistic with our expectations. So here are some tips to help you navigate the holidays and get a jump on the new year:

1 Start your goal-setting process

Goal-setting is an important part of any worthwhile journey. And the SMART goal-setting model is the best to use. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Your goals should cover all of these areas.

2 Create your action plan

Once you have your SMART goals in place you want to come up with a plan for how you are going to achieve these. If the goal is to start working out, you may want to start researching personal trainers, fitness groups, gyms, dance classes et cetera. When doing this, look at locations, class schedules, prices and reviews. Some places and programmes may even allow you to do a free trial class to see if you like it. You can make direct contact with them to confirm availability and even re-register for January.

3 Prepare your life for the change

For example, if your goal is to start eating healthier you may want to start putting together some healthy recipes that you can try. Also, you can look for healthy food options around where you live and work. The more prepared you are, the smoother the start of your health wellness and fitness journey will be.

4 Leverage the gift giving spirit

We know that gifts will be given this time of year. So use this to your advantage. Make a wish list of everything you would need or want to have on your journey. Things like a fitness trackers, running sneakers, a Nutrabullet, even a gift certificate to a fit camp or gym. Let your friends and family know that these are the gifts you want.

5 Be mindful

As you part take in the festivities of the season, just do so mindfully. You want to be mindful of what you are doing eating and drinking. While you want to enjoy yourself, you do not want to set your self back further than you are now. You want to raise awareness of the unhealthy habits and behaviours you want to change in the new year.

Hopefully these tips help. Be safe and enjoy the holidays!

• If you need help navigating any part of your health, wellness and fitness process, you can contact Ethan Quant at ethan@elite-wellnesssolutions.com or on Instagram at @ethanquant.