I have a goal this Holiday season – NOT to gain the normal 5-10 pounds most people gain.
Photo Credit: TheCulinaryGeek via Compfight cc
Just how am I going to do this? By being mindful of what I’m eating while continuing to exercise.
I know, I know. It sounds so much easier said than done, doesn’t it? But I thought if I said it out loud, typed it out loud, and posted for all of us to see, it could actually be a reality versus a myth.
The holidays are a great time of the year, for most people anyway. Honestly, sometimes it depends on whether or not those hard-to-love family members show up or not, but that’s another post for another day.
As the holiday circuit comes around though, and fatty food is at every business party, church gathering, school function, etc., it’s easy to get sucked in, spiral out of control, and find yourself back to square one by New Year’s Day. It’s an important time for me not to throw caution to the wind and indulge in every craving and pumpkin pie thrown my way.
But I think we can enjoy the festivities without getting out of control. I think I can indulge a little without crossing the border to crazy. So can you.
Here are a few tips, thanks to fitness guru Jillian Michaels, to help both me and you stay on track as the Holidays approach:
Holiday weight gain doesn’t have to be inevitable.
Start with adjusting your mind-set for the holidays. Thanksgiving is happening this week, so let’s start there. Let’s fill up on the healthy stuff, like veggies, salad, and the roasted turkey. Then we can enjoy the “must-have” dishes in moderation, like my cousin’s creamy corn casserole and my grandma’s homemade turkey dressing.
Feel free to eat a small slice of your mom’s favorite pumpkin pie, but remember, you don’t have to eat a slice at each festivity you go to. I’m reminding myself that my grandma’s pies are homemade. The corporate Christmas party that I’ll attend gets their pies from the grocery store deli. If I’m going to spend my calories, you can bet I want to do it on the made from scratch, melt in your mouth pie. Oh.. and just say no the egg nog.
Don’t even think about abandoning your fitness and healthy eating plans.
Doing this could be disastrous. I’ve been trying some new workouts lately and I remember how I felt after the first workout. I swear a semi came into my room in the middle of the night and consistently ran over my thighs. I don’t want to have to go through that again. If I take a couple of weeks off, I’m setting my body up for failure, plus my mind. I’m finally getting back into the habit of having a regular exercise routine. I don’t want to fight trying to get back on track, do you?
Yes, we’re probably going to miss a workout or two with traveling and busyness, but there’s time. We can make time, even if it’s 10-30 minutes of doing something. Let’s stay committed, especially when we know we’re going to have some of Grandma’s pumpkin pie. The gym is calling our names, especially the next day.
Quit believing you are going to fail.
Jillian says it best. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Oh how I’m absorbing these words right now. I need to plan ahead of time what I’m going to eat, as well as when I’m going to exercise. I need to write it on my calendar. Where can we fit in the extra time for a workout?
Eat a snack beforehand. This is something I need to get better at. Also, if you’re bringing a covered dish to the event, bring something you know you can eat; something that will distract you from the rest of the calorie-heavy foods.
This Holiday season, let’s all stay reminded that we are God’s temple. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16). What we put in our bodies, not only affects us physically, it can take its toll on our minds and emotions, too.
What step are you taking this Holiday season to stay on the course of consistently living in a healthy lifestyle? Leave a comment below…