Now is the time of year that all willpower must be summed up in order to not gain a regretful amount of weight. I get that it is hard! I have often claimed to be part of the “clear your plate club” and this is not good when plates of food keep on coming. Not to mention, the wine flows freely. Put the two together and before you know it zipping up your jeans may feel like hiking up Mount Everest. However, by following these tips from MCbJ fitness contributor, we should all be able to indulge a bit and not bulge a bunch. Cheers to that! xx
If you’re like me, the holiday signal family, baking, and parties. All of these precious moments are what we moms live for. However, fitting into our skinny jeans come January 1st, shouldn’t be such a NIGHTMARE!
Here are a few simple tips to stay close (let’s have a little fun) to your happy weight and still enjoy the holiday delights we love.
1. Make a choice – Fill a small plate with one splurge – like fried hors d’oeuvres, chips and dips, and fill the rest up with healthy choices like – crudités, shrimp and hummus. One tip I personally use is to scoop a healthy dip like guacamole or hummus onto a plate and then use crudités as my “cracker.” Try combos like cauliflower and guacamole or carrots and hummus. Now you can say, “YES.”
2. Eat before you go – This is a BIG one!!! Heading into a party buffet, starving, is a guarantee you’ll overeat. Before you leave your house grab an apple, cheese, green juice and almonds or non-fat yogurt with granola. The fiber, protein and calcium will ward off hunger pangs and you leave less room for bacon wrapped figs.
3. Just say “NO, thank you” – Don’t feel peer pressure to eat. Your friends might make you feel guilty or force you into eating something just because it makes them feel less guilty. A good host should offer a few healthier options. But when the food is not diet-friendly, simply arm yourself with a small glass of wine or a seltzer water and reply kindly with, “Thanks, but I’m going to stick to this for now… Maybe later.” This takes a bit of self-control but try and rely on your stomach to tell you when your hungry.
Sit down meals can become a bit trickier. You certainly don’t want to offend your host by not eating. Fill up on a salad and try each item you are given. Once you are full, politely put your fork, knife and napkin down, signaling to your brain and other guest that you are done. If you have special diet restrictions, it’s always appropriate to notify your host ahead of time. Say something like, “We are really looking forward to your fabulous holiday party and I just wanted to mention again that I am a vegetarian (gluten free, vegan, dairy free, ect…). Your host will appreciate the heads-up and make you feel at home.
4. Booze (Why not? It’s the holidays!!)? Wait – hold that wine glass – The calories in alcohol really add during holidays. Set a drink limit before you go. Water and seltzer are really the two best options. However, if a cocktail is in order, choose something you can sip on like a glass of wine or Champs! Sugar drinks not only pack a huge amount of calories but they are easy to drink quickly.
5. Have fun!!! Don’t stress! Enjoy! – Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite holiday treats. If you look forward to mom’s chocolate chip cookies on Christmas Eve then HAVE ONE OR TWO! Just try not to eat Santa’s cookies too.
6. Workout! – Don’t skip too many workouts this holiday season. It’s easy to blow them off when family and friends are in town, holiday programs at school are during your spin class and you need to tackle your list. Just try and set up a reasonable workout schedule for yourself. You might have to wake up with the sunrise but you’ll be so much happier after your logged a good sweat session in.
Cheers to a happy and healthy holiday.
with love,
Cortney
Image Credit: Pinterest
Cortney Taketa is YAS spin instructor, and a fabulous mommy of three. For more fitness tips by Cortney, check out her other posts here.
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