Tips for Staying On Track During the Holidays

Thanksgiving is almost here! This has been the longest and fastest year ever! I’m not sad that 2020 will be coming to an end, but I want to finish strong. How about you?

As we approach the holidays, it is important to create a plan for staying on track with your health and fitness goals. The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also present challenges if you are trying to maintain or lose weight. Here are a few tips for staying on track this holiday season:

1. Don’t skip meals before going to an event or hosting one. You are more likely to overeat if you skip meals beforehand.
2. Contribute a healthy dish to the festivities.
3. Choose your splurges wisely. Scan the table and decide which dish is worth it.
4. Think color! Load up on veggies and fruits first!
5. Choose your drinks wisely. You can consume a lot of calories in beverages, so choose low calorie drinks like water, tea, and sparkling water. Alcohol is high in calories, so consider if the drink or dessert is more important.
6. Visit the people, not the food😆. Spend time socializing more then you do eating.
7. Eat until you feel satisfied, not stuffed. Stop when you are full. We often keep eating when we aren’t hungry anymore because we just want to. Pay attention to how satiated you are.
8. Bring chewing gum, and pop a piece in your mouth if you find yourself mindlessly snacking.
9. Savor the treats! Enjoy the delicious foods and pay attention to how they taste. Chew slowly and really enjoy it!
10. Don’t feel guilty! If you eat too much, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track the next day😊.

It is also important to stay consistent with your workouts during the holidays. Don’t use this wonderful time of the year as a reason to take a break from exercising. Think of this time as a reason to keep working out. You need to stay healthy to fight off the flu, colds, and COVID 😬. Yep, that nasty little virus is still around! And consistent workouts and healthy eating help you stay healthy! Plus, you won’t reach your goals if you stop working for them. The holidays are one day! Get it? HoliDAY, not holiMONTH😆.

What fitness or health goals are you currently working towards? Are you going to keep pursuing them through this holiday season?