'Tis the season for spending time with family, amazing food, delicious cookies, cakes and pies, warm snuggling by a fire, hot chocolate, seasonal beers and gaining 5 pounds before New Years.
Wait, what was that last sentence? Yep, you heard me. The holidays get a bad wrap and blamed for that extra New Years poundage. Believe it or not, roughly 75% of annual weight gain occurs during the holidays. Ouch. So what can you do to prevent this statistic from happening to you? The link above provides some amazing tips for preventing the holiday blubber. For those who are anti-link clicking here is the breakdown:
1. Keep a fitness/nutrition journal: You may feel guilty writing down 4 lady locks..
2. Teeter totter "diet" and "exercise" aka if you want to eat the pie, ramp up that treadmill workout and burn some extra calories.
3. Keep a holiday calendar: Know when you are indulging in your holiday festivities so you can plan your workouts accordingly.
4. Eat conscientiously: Don't woof down your food like you are never going to eat again. Chew it, savor it and allow your belly to tell your brain "wow I am full now!"
5. Recruit an accountability buddy..or drill Sargent, to help with keeping your program on the up and up.
6. Sign up for a holiday fitness competition: Create a "biggest loser" competition at work for some extra motivation.
7. Sign up for a holiday fitness event: My favorite! Sign up for a 5k (yes, they still exist in the winter!)
8. Start and end each day strong: Don't "have time" for a workout? Wake up 20 min early, bang out a mini workout and do a 10-20 min workout when you get home. This can be done while dinner is cooking!
9. Celebrate with activity: Take a walk to look at lights!
10. Turn back the clocks: Pretend it is the good ol' days where you had no modern conveniences, hand wash dishes, ride your bike to work, cook from scratch.
11. Host your own party: You pick the food and drink menu therefore can choose wisely.
12. Bring your own dishes: Bring a side dish that is healthy, that way you know you have a healthy option at the party.
13. Start with soup/salad: Studies say that you eat less during a single setting when you start with a water based appetizer.
14. Trade holiday events for eating out: Balance out going out to eat and holiday parties. If you have a party at night, skip going out to eat for lunch.
15. Only eat what you really like: You love the cookies? Awesome, eat up. Not crazy about the pie? Skip it! Don't fall into the pressure of the pie because everyone is doing it!
16. Maintain your sleep schedule: Don't slack on the sleep. No sleep = more stress, more stress= more eating, more eating= higher scale number, higher scale number = sad face :(
17. Watch what you drink: Tough one, I will admit. Keep an eye on calories and don't ruin your sleep.
18. Give up on "perfect": Don't stress yourself out! Stress = bad..Refer to #16.
19. Look for free cheap holiday options: Again, don't stress yourself out and strap your wallets!
20. Dress your best: Those baggy sweaters and sweatpants can only hide so much for so long. Don't let them disguise you until spring! Keep putting on your "feel good" clothes and make sure they fit the way you love.
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| Choose wisely, beautiful. |
SO, now that you have some tips to survive the "holi-gain" why wait until January 1, 2013 to make the change with your habits. Why wait until you're crying on the scale and looking at your body to commit to an exercise/nutrition routine. Start now. I dare you.
I know, I know. Start a "diet" before the holidays sounds like a set up for failure. And it very well could be. But starting something before the holidays will ultimately effect your outcome. You will be consciously thinking "Should I eat that 3rd plate of mashed potatoes and gravy?", "Do I really need that 2nd piece of pie?". The thought totally counts, but the final decision seals the deal. Even one simple "drop the cookie" will put you a point or two up in the game!
Now I will step off my soap box and give you the challenge--a 6 week fitness/body transformation by Christmas. You have from tomorrow November 13, 2012 until December 25, 2012 to get your body into rockin shape and tone up before the January 1st clock strikes diet. Be ahead of the game at the gym. When everyone else will be starting up, you will be cruising through your already established routine (and will be way less likely to fail!) This crazy challenge wasn't created by me, it was created by my good friend and teammate John Clifford and some of his friends. So you can thank him! Start by taking some before pictures and measurements and get it started! I will continue to post workouts that I do if you need some ideas and will keep you updated on my progress!
Good luck! And remember, every move counts!
Yours in Health,
Nikki
Upcoming Races:
11/22: YMCA Pittsburgh Turkey Trot-5K
For information about my nutrition program or any suggestions on what you want to see here, contact me at :
gmail: ncmckeone@gmail.com
twitter: @Nik_Lovin
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