Take Charge of Holiday Health: “Plump” and “Round” are for Turkeys and Pumpkins!

Author: Andrea Wells

“Plump” and “Round” are for Turkeys and Pumpkins!

Go weigh yourself right now. How will this weight compare to your weight on New Year’s Day 2010? Before you go wild this holiday season, let’s take a look at some strategies that can help you “skip” into the winter months and not “roll” your way into Christmas. Many people spend the colder months indoors and gaining weight that they will have to fight to lose at the beginning of summer. This year, take a vow that you will maintain your weight (or even lose some) throughout the Yule-tide season, and your obligatory New Year’s resolution will stick! The best strategies for preventing holiday weight gain are carefully watching and monitoring your food intake, sticking to an exercise program that isn’t compromised in poor weather, and allowing yourself some disciplined “wiggle-room.”

Even though there are lots of delicious holiday foods, treats, candies, etc., doesn’t mean you have to eat your fill on all of them. The absolute best strategy for those of us that gain weight easily is to avoid the high calorie, sugary and fatty foods altogether. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. If you find yourself in a “must eat” situation, shoot for healthier options. This Halloween, get some sugar free candies to hold you over while you hand out buckets of the high-octane stuff to the kids. Throw some healthy treats their way, too. Their parents will appreciate it! Also, don’t keep loads of candy sitting around the house. That is ripe for the picking and we tend to consume lots of little stuff without thinking about it. These calories can quickly escalate into the thousands. While you prepare your thanksgiving feast, avoid the temptation to sample everything before it is ready. Have a light breakfast and keep your hands to yourself. When shopping for your Thanksgiving dinner food, try to pick healthier options. Cheese, butter, stuffing, and many more items now come in lower calorie and fat versions, and they taste nearly the same. At dinner, eat lots of the turkey breast, which is a great source of protein. Have a couple spoonfuls of some side dishes and maybe a taste of the pumpkin pie, and call it a day. You can have a small turkey sandwich later. Also, go for a walk or get some exercise later that day rather than taking a nap. Have someone help you clean up and since you are already active, take the dog for a walk or take the kids to the park. Finally, give yourself no room for regret. Think about what you are about to eat, and if you are going to feel bad about it, put it back. Make an effort to feel good about your eating at the end of the day.

Exercising your way through winter is a great way to keep weight off and to prevent seasonal affective depression. Whatever your choice of fitness activities, make sure that you have a way to perform it during the winter months. For example, if your gym is 30 minutes away from home and the roads are covered in snow or closed, the workout is shot. This can happen a few times a week and before you know it, you have lost your momentum and are on the downhill slope to weight gain. Some options are home workouts with or without videos, “in home” personal trainers that will come to your residence, choosing a gym that is walking distance, or picking an outdoor winter activity as your cold weather fitness program. The keys here are to pick something you enjoy and have ready access to. Make a schedule and stick to it. Ensure that you have a holiday plan and enlist your friends and family to help you enforce. When you show them how important this stuff is to you, they will help.

Finally, you should allow yourself some “wiggle-room” during the holiday months. There will be opportunities to miss workouts and pig-out. None of us can be perfect all the time. It is important that you acknowledge that you can slip off the program once (maybe twice) a week and still be alright. The key is that you not lose confidence in your plans and abandon the whole thing. Do you absolute best to be as rigid and disciplined as you can, and when you slip, give yourself a demerit (make sure you are aware so you don’t lose track) and just continue on. A positive attitude will do more good than being an ultimate disciplinarian. Be careful not to be too relaxed on this. Two slip-ups during the week is all most people can handle.

If you are committed to keeping yourself healthy over the holidays, you can do it. Hold yourself accountable. Weigh yourself now and track yourself through the holidays. If you need extra help or motivation, take a trip down to the MWR Fitness Center and ask to speak with one of the personal trainers. They are all very knowledgeable and experienced and the prices are reasonable.

Have a wonderful Halloween and a happy Thanksgiving!

About the Author:

Damon is currently the Assistant Course Director for Strength Development, the Officer-in-Charge of the West Point powerlifting team, and an instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has a BS in Psychology and an MS in Kinesiology from Texas A&M University.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Take Charge of Holiday Health: “Plump” and “Round” are for Turkeys and Pumpkins!