CE-Fit Healthy Holiday Fitness & Nutrition Tips

The season of holiday shopping, parties, and added pounds is here!

Society has made it a norm or expectancy to gain at least 5 pounds between the months of November and January. However, the holiday season is the ideal time to stick with a fitness regimen in order to help reduce your stress levels and manage your weight.

The choice is yours. Will you be apart of the norm and pack on a few extra pounds only to work twice as hard to get them back off? Or will you stay ahead of the game?

Almost every diet and weight loss article focuses on all the things you can’t do, giving you the holiday blues. So instead, how about we focus on all the great things you can do to stay on track to have a happy and healthy holiday season.

Now is the time to practice some serious self discipline and follow these simple fail proof strategies:

#1: Plan realistic workouts. The first step is to make out a concrete workout schedule. Be proactive by scheduling all your holiday events with making your workouts a priority. You want to aim for at least three workouts per week. If traveling, prepare to pack your appropriate workout gear, mp3 player, and list of equipment-free-on-the-go-exercises.

# 2: Find an outlet. And no, we don’t mean a shopping outlet! Find an activity that you love to do to help you manage holiday stress. Schedule out some time for a yoga class or early morning meditation to help you relax and refocus on the true meaning of the holidays.

# 3: Get moving! Don’t just sit there after you eat, engage your family and friends. Start up a friendly competition of wii , play outdoors with the kids, or take a walk around the neighborhood. If staying in a hotel, choose one that offers a gym or exercise classes.

#4: Load up on the good stuff. When making your holiday plate, be strategic when deciding what to place on your plate. Go for green & lean. Load up on those leafy, green vegetables and lean meats like turkey. White meat always trumps dark meat. Remember to go easy on those starches like mashed potatoes and macaroni, making them the smallest portion on your plate. To top it off, begin and end with plenty of water…you’ve now found the perfect filler. Who says that you can’t eat, drink, and be FIT?

# 5: Eat only until you’re satisfied. Plan to eat a small meal and wait 20 minutes before deciding if you really need that second helping. Your body has a way of communicating to your brain that it has had enough and doesn’t desire anymore. So what about dessert? If you’re feeling deprived we recommend that you get your dessert to go. This way you avoid stuffing yourself silly and will have the opportunity to enjoy your dessert later.

# 6: Remember the reason for the season. Christmas is about the celebration of life, and not about loads of gifts and holiday feasts. Focus on the joys of the holidays and the real gift of family and friends.

When it’s all said and done, remember to reward yourself for successfully making it through the holidays stress and weight gain free!