How To Survive the Holidays
‘Tis the season for holiday parties, Christmas cookies, and busy schedules. The holidays are by far the hardest time to stick to your healthy diet and fitness routine. There are tons of treats around you, shopping that needs to be done, and of course the cold weather! It’s so tempting to hit the snooze button and skip the gym when its 12 degrees outside, but don’t! You have worked so hard all year and lost that 20-30 pounds, do you really want to throw all of that away? No; you don’t! Your New Years Resolution shouldn’t be to RE-lose the weight you gained over the holidays. So, what do we do?
Your goal during the holidays shouldn’t be extreme weight loss- it should be to maintain your progress. This way you can still enjoy the holidays and not feel bad about eating some of the delicious treats! We want you happy this holiday season, which means you should enjoy yourself! We covered some of this when we prepped for Thanksgiving. Now you have days of celebrations with work and family and of course friends. Start your planning as early as possible. Sit down TODAY and see how many parties and meals with friends/family you have coming up. This will help you prioritize your cheat meals and plan your workouts.
Holiday Tips for Success
-Drink Responsibly: Yes, always drink responsibly. But also be mindful of what you’re mixing in your drinks. Do you really need to add all of the cranberry juice or coke? Try to stick to water with lemon/lime as your mixer. Seltzer is OK too if you’re someone who likes the bubbles! Drinking is the quickest way to rack up calories over the holidays without even noticing- so be smart about it!
-Monitor Your Hunger: Eat a meal before you go to your work events or parties. This way you don’t show up starving and needing to eat all the tasty food. Of course it’s ok to have a bite or two of the hors d’oeuvres, but this way you won’t have the temptation to eat everything.
- Schedule Your Month: As we mentioned, sit down and plan your weeks out. Make a note of what days you plan to have a cheat meal and what days you might have to skip a workout. If you have to skip a workout, don’t stress. Try to do a little extra cardio the next day or even a two-a-day to make up for it. At home workouts are great as well!
-Set Your Alarm and GET UP: It’s very easy to sleep in when you’re off work or the kids are out of school but try not to. We both know by 5 or 6pm rolls around it’s dark outside and you won’t be in the mood to go to the gym after a long day of cooking or shopping. Get your workout over with early so that you can enjoy your day!
Your diet will not be perfect over the holidays- don’t expect it to be. We don’t want you to feel guilty for having those delicious Christmas cookies; we want to help you prepare for success. Be mindful of what you’re eating and make a point to get to the gym 5-6 times a week. You will feel so much better on New Year’s Day when you are starting the year looking and feeling great!
Happy Holidays from the Disturbing Comfort Family!