In the Season of Pie
Heading into November, most of us feel like we should just kiss any attempt at a diet goodbye. The holidays mean many evenings full of family, friends, and oodles of delicious food. Shorter days mean less sunlight, which means more time inside (sipping cocoa by the fire). While seasonal weight gain varies from person to person, from now until April, many of us celebrating the holidays will have gained around 7 to 9 pounds! Keep your clothes fitting well by following these 5 tips to battle the bulge in the season of pie:
1) Mix and Match.
Exercise, exercise, exercise — we hear it all the time. And yes, they’re right; getting moving is part and parcel to staying trim, especially with turkey to your left and some gingerbread to your right. Don’t give in to the dark side just because it’s dark outside, and fight the urge to call off your workout on these shorter days. Keep things different to stay motivated. Try taking a new fitness class at the gym, swimming laps in the pool, or even working with a personal coach once a week. And look forward to the bevy of winter activities only available when the weather outside is frightful (ski, baby, ski!).
2) Never go to a party hungry!
This is your diet’s kiss of death. When you go to a party pre-nibbles, your eyes instantly become bigger than your stomach. The best thing you can do before a gathering where you know there will be a great spread of food is to fill up on the munchies that are good for you, but will keep you full — then you can enjoy that one piece of pie, without packing it in.
3) Minimize the holly, jolly, hootch.
You don’t have to be a party pooper, but the reality is that most alcoholic drinks are loaded with empty calories. While toasting with a glass of holiday spirits is perfectly acceptable, when possible, choose a lower calorie option like champagne, but that occasional cup of eggnog won’t be detrimental so long as they are few and far between.
4) Get the group going!
In the winter, we tend to stick to indoor activities like movies and board games. Unfortunately, they don’t maximize the burn. Plan activities that get you and your whole family up and moving. Dress warmly and take a walk or hike (don’t forget to throw
a few snowballs on your way!). Embrace the cold and try your hand at snowshoeing, sledding, skiing, the sky’s the limit – but remember to keep moving.
5) Give yourself a goal.
Nothing encourages you to eat right, hit the gym, and keep unnecessary weight off during the winter like knowing you are going where the sun is high and the swimsuits are plenty! If you can, plan a trip to somewhere warm, and use that motivation to prevent your pooch.
Remember, holidays are for having fun with the people you love. Don’t let the food become your main event, and remember to keep these tips in mind. You’ll emerge from the holiday season in control of your waistline while still happily fulfilled.
Workout of the Day
Four sets of:
Front Squat x 6-8 reps
Rest 90 seconds
Wall Slides x 5 reps
Rest 90 seconds
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
Walking Lunge x 20 steps
Burpees x 10 reps
Double-Unders x 30 reps