Stay on Track this Holiday Season

Holiday season can be filled with love, joy, excitement, and most importantly quality time with those you love. But on the flip side, it can also be filled with pure, unadulterated calories! Yup.  Studies show that the average person gains between 7-10 pounds between Christmas and New Years. Yikes! So if you’ve been sticking to a healthy routine, and are concerned about staying on track, just keep these helpful little tricks up your sleeve.

Enjoy this Holiday Season with all the joy it brings, sans the dreaded “festive fifteen”.

Start your day off with a bang!

Starting the day off right sets a tone for the rest of your day, so get your workout in first thing in the morning! Eating a healthy breakfast and exercising in the morning can help ensure better behavior all day long, so it’s a great way to set you on your way. When you work out in the morning, you not only tend to move more the rest of the day, but you also respond less to tempting food. Out of town for the holidays? Not to worry! You don’t necessarily need to have your favorite Pilates studio down the street. You can throw on a youtube video on your phone, jump on your family’s treadmill, or even hop outside for an effective concentrated workout like jumping rope for 15 minutes for a full 190 calorie burn!

Tight is Right

With all the holiday lounging, relaxing, (and snacking) that happens at Christmas time, it can be really tempting to spend your vacay days in your slouchy sweaters, elastic waist pants, and other loose fitting clothing. But let’s get real, that is an indulgence-fest waiting to happen. Leave those roomy pants in the back of the closet and instead opt for your cute fitting skinny jeans, curve-hugging dress, or fitted jacket. You’ll look fabulous for your fam, you’ll feel confident and cute, and you’ll be much less likely to overindulge in those unnecessary seconds!

You Snooze, you lose (weight)

You may have superhuman willpower to keep you on track with diet, but if you’re getting less than 7-8 hours of sleep, you may be a prime candidate for that dreaded holiday weight. Did you know that skipping your slumber increases cortisol levels, which in turn increases belly fat? Even more on point, getting too few hours of shut-eye will increase cravings for sweet and salty foods, which are rampant during the holidays. So strive for a solid block of sleep, and making good choices!

Stock up on Veggies

With a plethora of often rich, dense, and calorie-packed foods available throughout December, it can be tough to stay on track. But the good news is that for every naughty snack available at your holiday party, there are usually vegetable options not too far off. Carrots and celery anyone? Avocado? Cherry tomatoes? Pack your plate with that lonely salad. It might not be the most enticing item on the holiday table, but your tummy will thank you later when you’re feeling light while everyone else is bloated. So go ahead, stack those veggies on! They’re a great way to create more volume in a dish, they’re full of fiber, nutrients, and can taste amazing when prepared right.

When all else fails, live by this motto:

Say NO to the treats you like, so you can say YES and enjoy the treats you LOVE!”

Saying no to every darn little craving is an impossible feat, and really no fun at all! So don’t get bogged down with the need to turn everything down – instead, choose your battles! By turning down underwhelming so-so offerings just cause they’re there, you can save room for one or two treats you can truly enjoy without the guilt that comes with overindulging on everything.

Got any great tricks up your sleeve for surviving holiday cravings? Comment below and share the love. We’ll take all the help we can get!