Enjoy Your Holiday Favorites Without Wrecking Your Diet

The Holidays can be a difficult time for anyone who struggles with diet and their own fitness goals. While it is important to enjoy some “R & R” you also don’t want to destroy all your hours of hard work in the gym! Quite the contrary, the influx of calories can actually lead to some great strength gains if used correctly. Follow these simple tips this holiday season to avoid metabolic melt-down.

1.) Don’t skip your workouts

Many people will find that they are “too busy to exercise” the 2 weeks surrounding Christmas and New Years. This is a big mistake for obvious reasons. The increase in often times empty calories and lack of exercise is a recipe for disaster. Do your best to stick to your normal routine, and don’t skip the cardio!

2.) Stick to your normal eating schedule

Many people will often times skip meals and get out of their normal routine in hopes to “save the calories” for the big feast or sweets. This is a mistake and will most likely lead you to eating yourself into a slumber. This is a perfect recipe for weight gain!  Instead try this, If you are use to eating 3 meals and 3 snacks, skip 1 snack and 1 meal and replace it with your favorite holiday meal.

3.) Take smaller bites and chew your food

We all have that one uncle who is just ravenous at the dinner table and seems to inhale food. This is a mistake. It takes your body about 30 minutes to register your appetite after eating, so by taking smaller bites and chewing your food it will take longer to eat, allowing your body to digest and preventing you from over-eating.

4.) Drink plenty of water with each meal

Water is a necessary component for digestion. It also allows us to feel fuller and more satisfied by adding bulk to our food. Sure some wine is great, but don’t skip the water and be sure to sip throughout your meal.

5.) Catch some ZZZ’s

Between trying to wrap up work for the year, shopping, cooking, and prepping your house for guests there can be little time for sleep. It is no secret that sleep is very important for us on a cellular level. What’s more, when we don’t sleep enough we feel very lethargic which enables us to eat more in hopes up kicking up some energy.

Keep Moving.