The holidays aren’t a good time to start a restrictive diet. Why put yourself through that misery?
But also, it’s discouraging to step on the scale in January and find an extra 10 pounds have snuck on. Holiday pounds have a funny way of sticking around…and around. And the high amounts of sugar and saturated fat in cookies, cakes and other goodies isn’t good for our health.
One day of overeating won’t put someone off track who regularly lives a healthy lifestyle. The problem is that for many of us, the holiday season actually starts in early Fall when Halloween candy hits the store shelves, and continues to Christmas clearance in January.
I’m not suggesting that you have no treats, but rather to limit indulgences to a holiday day or two and not a month or two. But having said that, we all know that can be challenging when you have a number of holiday events to attend.
Realistically, I believe the best goal is to aim for simply maintaining your weight, rather than trying to lose pounds during this time of the year.
Here are a few of my tips for doing that.
1. Don’t buy candy or do holiday baking ahead of time. Wait until the last minute. If it’s there in your house, of course you are going to eat it. You’re only human, after all!
2. Keep tempting treats out of sight. If you must have them in the house, for goodness sake don’t leave them out on the kitchen counter or table. Your eyes have a powerful connection to your cravings. Out of sight, out of mind. Better yet, store them in the freezer.
3. Exercise every day. This not only burns calories, it helps combat holiday stress, helps you sleep better, gives you more energy, and improves your overall physical and mental health. Aim for 30 minutes a day, but any amount is better than none. It can be as simple as taking a walk each day. A fantastic way to get 30 minutes of exercise is to attend my online exercise classes! They are all beginner-friendly and low-impact to your joints.
For more strategies, see my post on 10 easy ways to avoid weight gain during the holidays.
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