It Starts With Coffee

Oh The Holidays…

The time where baked goods are a plenty and the gym just seems so far away. Plus its cold and hot cocoa seems like a much better idea than getting off our butts. Then you mix in the great movies on TV, the abundance of tasty smelling mall food while we Holiday shop and of course those delicious Starbucks Holiday drinks and there are 10 lbs we didn’t plan on.

I am by no means an expert on dieting, staying fit or any kind of exercise but I know what works for me as far as staying fit during the Holidays.

1. This may sound crazy but I keep a giant bowl of Holiday Candy near by. Why? If its in close proximity I am less likely to crave it. I see it and I acknowledge it and I may have a piece or two here and there but its much better than going somewhere seeing it and grabbing a ton. This way you always know its there and honestly you will be less tempted.

2. I work out at least 30 minutes 6 days a week. I have found so many at home workouts on Pinterest  which are great to do in between loads of laundry, while watching a Football game or Holiday movie or even just those days you are off work and aren’t really feeling like getting out in the cold to go to the gym. I find it handy to have a few sets of free weights at home, a jump rope and honestly thats it. Most things you can do without ANY equipment aside from your own body weight. I also have a Pure Barre DVD and ball and band so its helpful when I want to do a Pure Barre at home workout(worth the investment but not necessary). Also when I find myself bored with nothing to do I go for a walk. 15 minutes of normal paced walking can burn up to 100 calories. Think about that. Do you find yourself with a spare 15-30 minutes of boredom?

3. Portions!!!! On Holiday dinners, outings, parties etc just watch your portions. Instead of taking 4 stuffed mushrooms, grab one and some veggies and a few whole wheat crackers with cheese then wait 30 minutes and see if you really are still hungry. If you are out to dinner, make a promise to yourself to eat half and take the other half home for a meal the next day. Not only will you not feel stuffed but you will then have dinner for the next night and BONUS no worry to cook.

4. Careful on the liquid calories: While it can be tempting to drink champagne, wine, egg nog, cocoa, and many other Christmas Starbucks drinks or Holiday cocktails they are FULL OF SUGAR! If you are at Starbucks get the non fat without whipped cream and if you are at a party go for a light beer of glass of wine over a cocktail. Fruity cocktails are the devil with calories. Also for every alcoholic drink, drink a glass of water in between. It keeps hangovers away and makes you less likely to drink more.

These are just the things that work for me. This is what I have been doing so far this year and honestly I’ve lost a few lbs. I haven’t been depriving myself and I haven’t been gorging myself either. Let yourself have treats, pies, candy etc but just make sure you are mixing it in with good stuff, exercise and watching your portions.

Honestly you can’t go wrong this way!

What are your tips for staying fit during the Holidays?