The holidays are here, and with them comes a lot of eating and drinking. If you’re trying to lose weight, this may seem like an impossible task. But it’s not! By following these simple tips for keeping your body in shape during the season of feasting, you’ll be able to enjoy the company of friends and family without the guilt that comes from taking on too many treats or too much alcohol.
Keep your metabolism up.
You can’t stop the holidays from happening, but you do have some control over how much weight you gain.
While it may seem daunting to stay active during the holidays, it is possible to keep your metabolism up and burn those calories instead of storing them.
It doesn’t matter if you aren’t a gym rat or athletic type—there are lots of ways to stay active that don’t require a gym membership or tons of time.
Here are some ideas:
Work out with a friend.
If you have trouble sticking to your exercise routine, try exercising with a friend or two. You can encourage each other and hold each other accountable for working out regularly. If you’re not sure what workouts are best for weight loss, look into beginner workouts such as Couch to 5K or 10 Minute Trainer: Cardio Abs & Butt. Or if you want more advanced options, check out the following resources:
- [5K Runner] (https://www.5krunnerapp.com/) – A free app that helps runners train for their first 5k race from beginner to expert level!
- [Couch 2 5k] (https://www.couchto5kapp.com/) – A popular mobile app that helps beginners get started on their journey towards running in just 9 weeks!
Use the buddy system at parties.
- Have a friend with you.
- Make a plan before you go by keeping your options in mind.
- Use the buddy system to avoid over-eating at parties and celebrations. Your partner should be committed to being healthy and fit as well, so that he or she will not encourage you to indulge or give in yourself.
Avoid too much stress.
Stress can also play a role in weight gain. Stress may lead to overeating, which can make you feel terrible and make you less likely to exercise. Stress can also cause headaches, which makes it harder to make good food choices and stay away from the sugary foods that are not good for your health or weight loss goals.
So how do you keep stress out of your holiday season? Here are some tips:
Don’t let yourself get hungry.
If you’re going to eat, make sure it’s a healthy choice. Don’t let yourself get hungry and then binge, because that’s only going to lead to more weight gain. Instead, try eating small meals throughout the day (breakfast is especially important) so that you don’t feel deprived during meal times.
If you’re trying not to eat too much at one time or if you want something in your stomach before bedtime when hunger pangs are especially intense after a large meal, consider having a healthy snack such as an apple or yogurt before heading off to sleep. You could even try eating something light like lettuce or celery sticks with hummus if all else fails!
Choose healthy alternatives to your favorites.
Instead of eating a whole pie, have a slice. Instead of eating cookies, have a cookie. Instead of eating candy, have candy. Instead of eating cake, have cake. Instead of eating chips, have chips. It’s OK if you want to try one or two of your favorites—just don’t overdo it!
If something doesn’t sound good to you at first glance (for example: chocolate-covered cauliflower), it can be fun to experiment with new flavors and combinations until you find something that tastes delicious enough for your taste buds but healthier than the original versions (such as baked sweet potato fries).
Set up an exercise schedule and stick to it.
- Get a personal trainer. If you don’t have access to a trainer, find one online or through your local gym. A trainer can help keep you accountable and make sure that you are doing the right exercises for your body type and goals.
- Use a workout app. There are many different apps out there, but I prefer MyFitnessPal because it allows me to track my food intake as well as my workouts and water consumption (which is crucial when trying to lose weight). They also have custom meal plans that allow me to choose foods I like so I don’t get bored eating the same thing every day.*
- Find a workout buddy. Having someone else around when working out really helps keep me motivated because if they don’t show up then neither do I! Even better if this person has similar goals so that we can support each other along our journey toward healthier bodies.*
- Set up an exercise schedule and stick to it! The most important part about losing weight during the holidays is not letting yourself give up on exercising or eating healthy just because there are lots of delicious holiday cookies and treats available everywhere we look once December hits us hard with its cold weather chill factor–which brings us back around again full circle with point number one: Make sure you have enough time in between meals so that whatever food gets digested quickly before moving on again without leaving behind any extra fat cells lying around causing more problems than necessary…
Work out with a friend, eat regular meals and find healthier variations of your favorite holiday foods
There are tons of ways to stay healthy during the holidays. One of the most important is eating regular meals and staying hydrated, which can help you avoid overeating and reduce hunger cravings. In addition, it’s important to find healthier alternatives for your favorite holiday foods because eating too much junk food can lead to weight gain. Finally, you should make sure you exercise with a friend and keep your metabolism up by working out regularly before the holidays so that if you do end up gaining extra pounds during this time, they won’t stick around long!
The holidays are a time for celebration and good cheer, but they can also be stressful and challenging. Eating healthy food, exercising regularly, and keeping your stress levels under control will help you stay on track to reach your weight loss goals during this busy time of year.
Need to help??? Schedule a No Sweat Intro with a coach to build your holiday weight loss plan.