The holidays are here, the temperatures are dropping, the days are getting shorter. Just because it’s sweater weather don’t let yourself get soft this holiday season.
This can be a busy time of year for many of us, between travel, holiday get togethers, and all those holiday meals it’s easy to let your fitness routine slip and diets easily go out the window. On average an American gains one pound each holiday season (sometimes it feels like a lot more). This can be attributed to increased caloric intake and an overall decrease in physical activity.
This year try a couple simple strategies to stay on track and not lose all the progress you have made.
First, make exercise a priority, even if it’s inconvenient make a point of getting regular workouts in. As the days get shorter we all naturally want to be less active and it seems like we have more to do than time to do it. Sticking with your regular fitness routine can take away much of the stress of the holidays as well as reduce the effect of seasonal change on our mood. This year be prepared for getting to the gym in the dark, your regular workout buddies will still be there waiting for you.
Secondly, try not to over indulge, this can be a challenge this time of year but portion control is really the key here. With the holidays come holiday parties and with holiday parties comes heavy foods and rich desserts, often in high quantity. Keep in mind that most foods we may eat for Thanksgiving or other holiday festivities are much higher in fats and carbohydrates than we may be used to . This can make a regular plate contain several times as many calories as other times of the year. Be aware of the increased amount of calories in some foods, ensure that you are eating adequate amounts of protein and adjust your normal portions accordingly to keep the scale from going up this year.