Are you ready for the Holidays? Christmas and Thanksgiving are just around the corner. Do you have a plan in place to allow you to enjoy some treats, but keep off those extra holiday pounds?
Between Christmas parties, Christmas dinner, leftovers, Christmas cookies, egg nog, etc… the fact is that 75% of annual weight gain takes place during holidays.
I’m not saying that we can’t have FUN during the holidays, but I AM saying that we can make the committment to celebrate with MODERATION and BALANCE. The key is to not allow ourselves to view this committment as self-denial, but as a way to really enjoy the indulgences without packing on the pounds.
Here are some tips I put together to help you stay on track!
1. Follow a fitness program that runs through the holidays.
If you have a Beachbody program that you’re using, make an 8 week committment and start now. The extra calories you will burn while working out will help balance the indulgences.
2. Get an accountability partner.
Research shows that having someone to help you stay on track raises your chance of success by 45%. Find someone who also wants to stay balanced over the holidays and join forces.
3. Keep a Fitness/Nutrition Journal or Join a Challenge Group.
Keep an accurate account of what you eat. Being conscious of what what you’re eating and when you are exercising makes it a lot less convenient to forget how much pecan pie you ate last night. And NO CHEATING! If you had eggnog and extra stuffing, make sure you write it down.
If a group scenario would help you, you can join a Beachbody challenge group with a group of other people like yourself who are trying to keep it in moderation.
4. Bring your own holiday dishes.
When attending parties and family functions, it’s hard to stay MOSTLY on track if there are no healthy food choices. The way you get past this hurdle is by bringing your own tasty healthy holiday treats. Here is a link I found with some Clean Eating Holiday Appetizers –> http://www.cleancuisineandmore.com/healthy-appetizers/
5. Have a Party Plan.
Before you go to a party, have plan to help you stay on track. This plan could include things like:
– How many drinks you will have.
– How many “seconds” you will allow yourself.
– How much water you will drink while you’re there.
– Having an accountability partner to help call you on when you start to overdo it.
6. Avoid the sweatpants!
Yes… how you dress can directly effect how much you allow yourself to overindulge. Get dressed up. Stay away from the stretchy fabrics. If you feel your waistline begin to expand, you’ll know you need to take it easy for a bit.
FINALLY
Being moderatate throughout the holidays isn’t always FUN, but it DOES allow you to have some fun and enjoy yourself. At the end of the day, it all comes down to how you will feel the next day… and then again… when the New Year starts.
It really is all about those daily decisions we make. And in this case… every little one counts.
I wish you the BEST of luck with staying on track through these next crazy weeks. I KNOW you can do it too!
If you have any questions or need some coaching advice, I’m always here to help, so please connect with me via Facebook. You can find me at http://fb.com/MichelleHillaert. Send me a friend request!
