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New Year’s Eve champagne, eggnog sprinkled with cinnamon, cookies left out for Santa. The holidays revolve around delicious food. This and the commitments we make around this time of year, can make it almost impossible to stick to your weight loss goals, much less stay de-stressed. While it’s okay to take part in the festivities, try following these tricks to help you stay on course.
Keep Moving
A great way to balance out increased caloric intake is by moving more. Take a walk during your lunch break, stand up and stretch every hour, or hire a personal trainer. Personal trainers will keep you motivated and hold you accountable.
Don’t go to a Party Hungry
Always have a snack before you head out. If you’ve already eaten an apple, you’re less likely to fill up on the goodies your host puts out. Drinking water also helps combat this. If you can bring your own dish, it ensures you’ll have a healthy option.
Participate in Holiday Activities
There’s almost always a local 5k Thanksgiving morning. Many families also enjoy a fun game of football before dinner or a walk after dinner. These are all great ways to get moving before or after diving into a plate of turkey and cranberry sauce. In addition, other 5Ks, such as the Ugly Sweater Run, can help you stay active throughout December.
Drink Responsibly
Liquid calories add up faster. If you’re going to indulge in some holiday cocktails, try choosing clear liquors mixed with seltzer water or a sugar free mixer. This can significantly cut down the calories. It’s also a good idea to drink a glass of water after every cocktail.
Stick to a Routine
Having a schedule to follow makes it more likely you’ll stick to a workout schedule and healthy meal plans. Veering off track a little isn’t as damaging when you have a solid plan in place.
Get Sleep
Trying to get through the day on a small amount of sleep is difficult enough, but avoiding sweets on those days is incredibly difficult. A lack of sleep increases cravings. It also makes it harder to work up the energy needed to make a healthy meal or head to spin class.
Enjoy
Don’t deprive yourself. This will make binge eating more likely. Instead, fill up on vegetables and protein first so that you only have a little room leftover for a sweet treat.
If you need help staying on track this holiday season, the personal trainers at C.O.R.E. Personal Training and Pilates Studio can help. Contact Ruth Gordon at (703) 490-2673 for more information.