It’s that time of year again! The house has been decorated for fall, the house filled with the smell of homemade soups and stews and you’re starting the holiday card and gift list.
Personally, I am so excited we are entering this time of year; however, from years of experience in the fitness industry I know some of you are already thinking about how to enjoy the holidays without the weight gain. You might even be a bit nervous about succeeding.
The good news is you do not have to gain weight this holiday season! You can fully enjoy the festivities times without gaining weight! All you need to do is follow some easy tips:
- If you are currently losing weight congratulations! During the holidays I recommend you set a very vital yet realistic goal. Maintain your weight. If you maintain your weight, you are already ahead when January comes! Keep it simple and realistic.
- Now is not the time to stop exercising. As tempting as it is to skip exercise and snuggle on the couch with a glass of wine or cup of your favorite hot beverage, you want to get your calories burned so you can enjoy the special treats without the unwanted pounds.
- Plan ahead. Schedule all your commitments for the season on your calendar. Schedule exercise time too. You may decide to exercise at home rather than drive to the gym. Try a mini-trampoline or an exercise video. On days that are tightly scheduled, commit to a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise to keep your momentum and your metabolism boosted. Something is always better than nothing. Every minute of exercise counts!
- Do some off line shopping. You can get in your exercise while supporting your local businesses and salespeople. Win-win.
- Pay attention to portion sizes. Take larger portions of the fruits and veggies and smaller than normal portions of the richer fare like scalloped potatoes, prime rib, desserts, etc. Watch the dressings on the salad– put it on yourself and be conservative. Go for the dressings that will drip to the bottom of the bowl.
- If you do not already track your daily calories intake, now would be a good time to start to can catch any potential weight gain before it happens. Remember, it boils down to calories burned versus calories consumed, so choose treats wisely. Most of us only need about 1500-2000 calories daily depending on the type of exercise we do and how much “lifestyle” activity we do each day. Save the higher calories for super special treats. Trade-offs work well such as if I have a glass of champagne I will probably have only a bite of dessert.
- Wear form fitting clothes. This is a great way to keep weight from piling on. You will know if your weight is out of whack if those jeans feel a bit snug. You can take action to prevent further gain. – Courtesy of InStyle magazine
- Lighten up traditional recipes. Got to have your pumpkin pie? That’s okay! Choose lighter recipes than the more traditional fare. Cooking Light is one of my favorite magazines; however, there are many recipes on the web that have been modified to reduce calories and taste delicious.
- Avoid showing up to a party hungry. Keep fruit, nuts, energy bars, shakes, whatever is your go to snack, with you. When you are hungry, you can eat mindlessly going for the tiny quiches, which look better than the fruit and veggie platters. Start with a glass of water and then check out the food platters.
- There are only a few days that are actual holidays–eat normally the rest of the days. When you treat every day like it’s Thanksgiving Day with the excuse “it’s the holidays,” you pack on the pounds.
Have fun! Enjoy yourself and time with family and friends.
Please comment below how this has helped you. If you have any personal secrets to keep you from gaining weight during the holidays, I’d love to hear about them. I’m sure the rest of our readers would as well! Blessings to you and yours!