Fitness, Family and Fun: Tips for the holiday season

The holiday season and the snow has arrived and we are all getting into the Christmas spirit. Our kids are excited for Santa to arrive, my husband and I have had work events and festive gatherings with friends. I am slowly getting all my Christmas shopping done and our elf on the shelf has been having fun making mischief in our home for our kids to find each morning.

Truth is, we also seem to be eating out more this month because we are on the go to make sure everything is ready for Christmas. There are drinks, desserts and treats everywhere. Hot chocolate, cookies for Santa and baking with the kids.

And if you've been working hard all year, developing healthy daily habits, it can get really tempting to maybe let go a bit on your routine and enjoy some foods and treats that you have stayed away from for awhile.

So how do you get to that happy medium place?
How do you stay on track and avoid gaining too much over the holidays?
Maybe you want to avoid getting too far off track and avoid going into the new year in desperate weight loss mode (oh boy I have been there) This year I would love to maintain my weight loss and hard work but also enjoy the holidays and not feel deprived.

I have been doing some research and here are the top tips I have found and I'm going to follow this month:

Make a treats list -- instead of eating a little bit of this, a little bit of that. A great tip I use, even still on weekends, is only pick your favourite things to indulge on. There will be lots of treats and things to choose from in the next couple of weeks. Ask yourself, which things do I just need to have.
So for me, candy cane ice cream comes out once a year, and I love it!!! So I will have a small portion of it here and there. Gingerbread houses that we make with the kids I could pass on, it's not my favourite and I would rather save those calories for a glass of wine at dinner with my family or on the ice cream. It's okay to be choosy with what you eat. Say no to one thing so you can say yes to your favourites. Make a list of 2-3 things you just can't have without this holiday season and stick to those, pass on anything that are not on your short list.

Drink up -- water that is. When we are out running around I know I am forgetful about getting enough water. When we don't have enough water, it is easy to mistake thirst for being hungry. Also, if you are all dressed up and ready to party, a trick that has helped me when I'm having cocktails at a party is to drink a glass of water in-between each cocktail. This can help combat dehydration the next day and help you from going overboard with the cocktails.

Give yourself a present -- If you are finding it hard to stick to your workouts, treat yourself to a new workout tank or shoes the next time you are out doing some Christmas shopping. Maybe a new ear buds if you use those during your cardio workouts on the treadmill or a new motivating workout tank top or T-shirt. Sometimes it's just the thing to get you excited to workout again.

Eat before you party -- headed to a party or dinner? The last thing you want to do is show up hungry and consume everything in sight. Instead, have a snack about an hour before that has some fibre and protein like an apple & cheese, a protein bar, or some turkey slices & crackers. That way you are less likely to fill up on all the party snacks and appetizers that are not your 100% favs.

Keep working out -- The best way to keep your energy up during the holidays and keep feeling like your fab self is to keep up with your scheduled workouts. I know it can be really hard to muster up motivation some days, but the more you stick with your exercise routine, the better you are going to feel this month. Even just 30 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your energy levels and help keep you going with your daily workout habit. If you miss a workout, pick right back up the next day, you don't want to go too long off schedule or the harder it is to get back on board.

Remember what really matters -- Christmas time means catching up with family and friends and loved ones. It means giving and letting people know how much we care about them. Changing your mindset about what the parties and gatherings are all about will put food in it's place. Enjoy the moments and time that you are spending with company instead of focusing too much on the food part of it.

Go easy on yourself -- holidays come around once a year. This is where you can really practice and implement the 80/20 rule. You don't want to completely deprive yourself or else you may go overboard when you do finally treat yourself. So, eat really well 80% of the time, treat yourself 20%, but again, make sure it's something that is your absolute, have-to-have treat. It's all about balance.

Sending you best wishes this holiday season

I hope you found these tips and tricks helpful going into this holiday season.

<3 <3 <3

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