The holidays are a time to celebrate with family – and as Americans, we sure know how to celebrate! We eat, drink and indulge – and end up feeling like whales by the time it’s over come the first of January. It seems like a futile effort to even think about maintaining (or losing!) weight during the holidays — but this year, you have a chance!
Don’t let every party become your personal eating contest, and don’t let shopping take the place of your typical, consistent exercise routine. All it takes is a little bit of flexibility, a pinch of creativity and a new definition of exercise.
Keep Moving
It’s easy to exchange exercise for holiday preparations, parties and errands, but more than ever you need to stay active. Exercise will help with added stress and give you energy for the to-do list. It will also help you manage your weight through the maze of parties that are inevitable during the holidays.Forget the typical exercise rules, and do whatever you have to do to keep moving for the next month as you get through this stressful time…
• Shorten Your Cardio. Pare down your cardio routine to whatever time you have, even if it’s only 10 minutes. Choose activities that are easy to do at a moment’s notice: walking, running, jump roping or cycling. Get the most out of the time you have by working at a high intensity.
• Exercise anywhere. You already know to take the stairs, park far away and so on to get more exercise. This holiday season, wear a pedometer as you’re running around, and see your daily totals. Use every opportunity to get in
more movement, whether it’s parking on the opposite side of where you need to be or chopping down your own Christmas tree by hand.
• Involve your family. As you gather with your family, plan active things to do. Walk around the neighborhood and see holiday decorations. Play football before the big meal at Christmas. Plan contests with the kids to see who can run the farthest or who can do the most push-ups. Challenge everyone to a fitness contest, and then reward the winner with something (relatively) healthy!
• Don’t forget strength training. Maintain your muscle mass by shortening your routine to the basics. Choose compound multi-joint movements – like squat presses – to make sure you’re making the most of your time and working
your body efficiently
• Control Your Eating. Eating yourself into a coma seems inevitable during the holidays. Treating every party as an invitation to indulge, however, is a sure way to add weight. There are a few ways to keep your weight in check, though:
• Eat Before You Go. Never go grocery shopping while hungry — and similarly, never hit a holiday party on an empty stomach. You’ll be less tempted to overindulge if you’re full from something healthy.
• Choose One Treat. Once at the party, choose one indulgence and make it good. No chips — you can have those any old time. Pick something you only get during the holidays.
• Control Your Drinking. Alcohol is an easy way to consume more calories than you need, so avoid mixed drinks, and have a glass of water for each drink you consume. Also, avoid the eggnog; it has around 350 calories a cup.
• Don’t Skip Meals. It’s tempting to skip meals to make up for foods you’ll eat later, but if you’re starving, your rational mind will be unavailable for healthy food choices. Eat small meals all day to avoid going nuts at the buffet table.
However you deal with the holidays, make this the year you don’t gain weight. Make a decision to do everything you can to stay active and healthy while not depriving yourself of the fun. Like everything else in life, it’s all about moderation. Happy Holidays!
About the Author: Bobby DeMuro is the Founder of FusionSouth, a personal training firm in Charlotte, NC. He is also the Executive Director of NoFizz Charlotte, a non-profit dedicated to awareness on the importance of proper health and nutrition. He resides on Lake Norman with his 2-year old boxer, Dakota.
Great post!