Preparing for the Holiday Season

Today I was looking at the calendar, and simply can’t believe the holiday season is nearly upon us.  Maybe it’s the lack of snow, but to me it feels like summer was just a couple of weeks ago.  I suppose it’s time to figure out a plan for the holidays, ie how to be at my healthy best during these sometimes troublesome months.  Here are a few tips to help you get ready for the upcoming season.

First, recommit yourself to your workouts.  Making sure they happen now will help you fit them in later.  Get them on your calendar and make those appointments with yourself happen.  You could even up the intensity a couple times a week, and fire up that fat burning machine.  As you know, your workouts will help with your stress levels, keeping your stress eating in check.

Next, ditch the Halloween candy.  It’s soooo tempting to have “just one or two, since they are so small.”  I’ve heard it before, and I know for me if it’s around, it’s much harder to resist.  No sense in sabotaging any progress you plan to make during November, right?

As far as your food, take a look at your New Year’s resolutions and goals.  You don’t have to wait for the calendar to change years to reevaluate your eating and make some adjustments.  Check your vegetable intake, sugars and protein amounts and confirm they are in line with your goals.  Again, getting back in the routine will help you when things get really crazy in a few weeks.

Get out your calendar, and fill it with everything you can right now, through the end of the year.  This includes your workouts, meal planning, grocery shopping, etc.  If it’s on the calendar, you may be more likely to fit it in, just like the parties, events for the kiddos and work deadlines.  You will also be able to figure out what days might be the best rest days for you, and plan those as well.  Planning ahead is critical in losing weight – wouldn’t that be something if you didn’t gain a pound, or even lost a few before the end of the year?

Plan now, and keep up with your workouts and healthy eating.  It will help once the holiday season officially starts and help keep you on track.  See you at the gym!