I thought this was a good time to share this blog post. Thanksgiving is a few days away and then Christmas and New Year’s will be here before we can turn around. In the past, I would always “take off” the month of November and December. This meant I was not working out consistently, I would usually have a glass of wine or two every night and I wasn’t sticking to any type of meal plan. It was literally a free for all for me. I would usually gain about 7 to 10 pounds. Then come January 1, I would do the typical resolution of getting back on my diet and exercise routine, lead a healthy lifestyle blah, blah. I am so glad I do not have that mindset anymore! I cannot imagine not working out for an entire 2 months. I can also remember waiting for the clock to hit 5 so I could open my bottle of wine. I am so glad those days are over for me. Since I have been tracking macros, I don’t dread the holidays like I did in the past. Over the last couple of years, I have adopted a few tips to help me stay on track during the holiday season. Here are the 5 things I do to stay healthy during the holidays.
- Be Realistic. I know there are going to be times that I indulge a little. This may be too many mimosas at Thanksgiving brunch or too many cookies at a work party. Just keep in mind you do not want to over do it all of the time. You want to try and take everything in moderation. Which leads me to my second tip.
- Moderation: You don’t want to be that person that shows up at a family dinner and only eats the salad and the meat. Or you are at a friendsgiving and you only eat the veggies and the turkey. So then when dessert rolls around you might figure “well I was so good at dinner I’m going to eat all the pie and cake”. What I like to do is get a serving of everything I want to eat and do it in smaller portions. That way I feel satisfied and I don’t go overboard with the desserts. And yes, I will eat a piece of pecan pie..it’s my favorite thing about Thanksgiving!
- Hydration: I blogged last week about staying hydrated (read about it here). Hydration is so important especially during this time of year. We can get busy and forget to drink our water. Couple that with too many cocktails and high sodium foods and you can dehydrate easily. Carry a water bottle with you and keep filling it throughout the day. I try to shoot for 100 to 120 ounces a day.
- Wake up early: Over the last few weeks I have been waking up at 5 am so I can get my cardio in for the day. I will do 30 minutes in the morning and then lift weights in the afternoon. We tend to get so busy during the holiday season that by the end of the day working out is the last thing we want to do. Try getting up 30 minutes earlier each day. Sneak in that cardio, pilates or whatever your choice of workout is and see how much better you feel!
- Plan: I cannot stress this enough. Plan your week out every Sunday. It will set you up for so much success when you know exactly what you are eating and what workouts you will be doing. I love my happy planner from Hobby Lobby. I am about to purchase another one for 2021. You will feel so accomplished when you have all of your meals planned out. It is also a good motivator for you to stick with the plan when it is written out.
Also, don’t beat yourself up about eating a piece of pie or having that second helping of dressing. This is not going to undo all the good things you have done. Enjoy yourself and try not to go overboard. And if you do, then get right back on track the following day. I don’t mean run 10 miles or workout for 2 hours. There is no reason to over do it the next day. Get back on your routine, drink your water and give yourself some grace! Drop me a comment on how you plan on staying healthy during this holiday season!
