| How To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain |  |
This holiday season don't be trendy - avoid the Seasonal
Seven (the average weight most Americans gain between Thanksgiving
and New Year's). That's one trend you don't want to
participate
in!
Since the holidays are traditionally a time for fun and indulgence,
you probably prefer not to think about fitness between Thanksgiving
and the New Year. Don't worry! The festivities don't have to
be eliminated or avoided. You can have a fabulous time while also
maintaining your weight and your fitness regimen.
Moderation is the secret to achieving a fun and also healthy holiday
season. There are two typical approaches to the seasonal festivities:
1) throw all healthy habits out the window and indulge in every
guilty pleasure 2) starve and binge approach (for example, you eat
nothing all day long to allow yourself to overindulge in party
food). Of course, neither approach is successful at maintaining a
healthy, fit lifestyle throughout the holiday season.
As mentioned above, the key is found in moderation. With a moderate
approach both to what you eat (or don't eat) and how much
exercise you do (or don't do), you can avoid packing on extra
weight
AND also partake in all the fun of the season. So this season, get a
head start on the New Year instead of starting January with extra
pounds to lose.
Here are some tips to help you during those hectic holiday weeks:
1. Create a plan ahead of time. Before the holidays sneak up on
you, create a plan for incorporating fitness and good nutrition into
your daily routine. Evaluate your holiday schedule and then determine
how much time you will realistically have available to devote to
working out and/or eating healthy meals.
2. Don't put your fitness goals on hold until the New Year.
If you can't exercise as often during this time period as you
normally do, adjust appropriately. Don't use the excuse that
since you
don't have time for your full workout you just won't workout
at all.
Instead accept your limited availability and simply reduce the
frequency and/or duration of your exercise. It's much better to
cut your fitness time in half than to completely eliminate it.
3. On the day of a party, be sure to eat regularly all day
long. If the party is in the evening, eat breakfast, lunch and a
snack before hand (just as you would on any other day). Once you are
at the party, go ahead and indulge in some of the fun, delicious
foods. Since you have eaten meals earlier in the day, you probably
will find that you aren't tempted to go overboard and eat
everything in sight. However, if you starve all day long attempting
to save up all your calories for the party, you will be so famished
by the time it begins that it will be difficult not to overeat.
4. Schedule your workouts. Mark them on the calendar and set-
aside time to complete them. Consider them as important as any other
appointment or event you have marked on your calendar.
5. When at a party, start by eating some of the healthy
offerings. For example, vegetable sticks (without dip), fruit pieces,
plain chicken pieces, etc. Then move on to some of the less healthy
(but yummy) offerings. You will be less likely to overindulge on
these foods if you have already filled-up on some of the healthier
items. Yet, you will not feel deprived or unsatisfied.
6. On days that you really lack motivation or simply do not
have time for your complete exercise routine, commit to do just 10
minutes of exercise. You'll probably end up doing more than that
once you get started. Even if you only end up completing 10 minutes,
that is still a lot better than zero minutes.
7. When presented with a large variety of food options,
it's tempting to want to eat everything. Rather than eating one
large
slice of chocolate cake or a huge plate of meatballs, select a
sampling of bite size pieces of several of the desert or appetizer
offerings. This way you get the enjoyment of trying many different
foods without overeating.
8. Exercise at home. You'll be more inclined to
follow-through on your exercise commitment if you don't have to
drive
somewhere to do your workout. Plus, you won't waste any time on
driving, parking, the locker room or waiting to use equipment.
Working out at home requires very little equipment (it even can be
equipment-free) and is quite inexpensive.
9. Avoid wasting calories on alcoholic beverages. The average
alcoholic drink contains 150-200 calories per glass. Indulge in just
2-3 drinks and you've drunk the equivalent calories of an entire
meal. If you partake in these beverages, choose wisely. For example,
instead of having a full glass of wine, try mixing half a glass of
wine with sparkling water or with a diet soda. This will help cut
your calories in half.
10. When running errands or shopping, be sure to pack some healthy
snacks to have on-hand. Then after you work-up a big appetite, you
won't be tempted to grab something at the mall food court or the
fast food restaurant on the way home.
Hopefully these tips will help you find a balance between staying fit
and also enjoying the fun of the season. For additional holiday
fitness tips, visit www.workoutsforyou.com. Remember, moderation is
the key. Have a great holiday season!
Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-
based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You, which provides
affordable online exercise programs that are custom designed for each
individual. Visit:http://www.workoutsforyou.com for a free sample
workout and to sign-up for their monthly fitness newsletter. Fitness
professionals, visit: http://www.trainerforce.com
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