With the holiday season upon us, the
parties and festivities have likely already started. And, you know what that
means? If you aren’t careful, you could start packing on the pounds. From
baking cookies with the kids to the loads of treats floating around the office,
having a strategy for navigating all these extra calories is essential. While
staying on track with your health during the holidays may sound daunting,
you’ll feel better about yourself, be in a better mood and look great at all of
those parties if you stick to some simple rules. Already overwhelmed? Don’t be.
Here are a few tips for staying fit and healthy over the holidays.
Have a plan. Take a look
at the calendar and evaluate the holiday season. How many parties do you have
on the schedule? Which days will you need to ramp up your exercise and which
days can you scale back a bit? When you know what’s coming, you know how to
plan – both from a nutritional and exercise perspective.
Pack healthy
snacks and lunches for the office. Despite all the temptations at the
office, if you come prepared it’s one of the easiest places to avoid and resist
all the snacks and unhealthy items. Pack a lunch every day loaded with leafy
greens, lean meats and healthy crunchies – like apple slices and carrot and
celery sticks. When you feel the urge, break out your healthy snacks and have a
huge glass of water – you’ll be full in an instant.
Before you
head to a party, eat a healthy snack. Heading to a party when you’re super
hungry is the easiest way to pack on unwanted pounds because your tendency is
to head straight to the cheese plate. Rather than mindlessly eating loads of
calories, fill up on something healthy first – like almond butter on a slice of
sprouted bread or a couple of turkey roll ups. The protein will help keep you
feeling full and will help you avoid mindless snacking.
If you want to
have dessert, just go for a few small bites. You don’t have to avoid it all
entirely, but rather let yourself taste a few of the delicious holiday treats.
Just have a bite or two – and then walk away from the desserts. You can do it!
Make exercise
a priority.
Especially on the days when you’re party bound, finding time to get your daily
steps in is essential to staying fit throughout the holiday season. Making that
extra bit of effort to get up early will make all the difference when it comes
to feeling great no matter how many parties you attend in a week. If you can’t
make it to the gym, throw on your sneakers and hit the pavement each morning
with a brisk walk or a light run. Just 30-60 minutes of getting that heart
pumping each day will leave you feeling great.
Don’t beat
yourself up if you get off track – it’s OK, it’s the holiday season
after all! If you eat a few extra calories or have a bit too much to drink, get
up the next morning and lace up those running shoes – it’s time to head to the
gym or head outside to get moving.
Do you have a
plan for making health and fitness a priority during the holidays?
Stay healthy
Angelika
(credit: L.R.)
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