Don’t be a Grinch this holiday season…
Let me just start by saying writing that blog title made me sick to my stomach. If you know me, you’re wondering why on earth would I be writing about avoiding holiday weight gain, and others may have clicked on it seeking some great tips. CLICK BAIT BABY!
Now that we’re here, let me share my thoughts on the holidays as it pertains to your personal life and your fitness life.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too (pun intended!) during the holidays, and that’s perfectly normal, ok, and wonderful. I don’t see the holidays as a time of year when I’m going to be hitting full bore on my workouts because my body needs a break every so often, and yours does too. I’d rather set time aside to have a conversation and glass of wine with my Grandma, than worry about whether or not I’m making it to the gym. The gym will be there later, my Grandma may not. It’s called priorities, and my family and friends are far more important than having six-pack abs on New Years. Also, my MIL only makes her Ventura County Fair Award Winning cheesecake during the holidays, and I’m NOT passing that up. Ever. Period. Non negotiable. Don’t even try. Cheesecake is best with coffee.
Also, it’s darker for longer, and I react to that. I’ll admit that I always move a little slower and a little less in the winter months because of the longer, darker hours we experience. At first it freaked me out, but I’ve found that listening to my body works. Rest isn’t a bad thing.
Lastly, you’re not going to “lose everything you worked for” in a few weeks. You’ll get back into your routine in January and everything will even out. I PROMISE! I look forward to being a few lbs heavier on January 1st. It means I gave myself a solid break, had some fun, and amply rested.
But, what do I do so that I’m not eating cheesecake and cookies nonstop for a month? Easy, I keep healthy food in the house, so the meals I make are nutritious…and I don’t sweat it when I leave the house – I’d rather be fully present at a holiday party than be a stress case the entire time trying to talk myself out of eating a snickerdoodle for 3 hours. It’s a special December rule.
I truly hope your holiday season is filled with magic, love, and a few cookies 🙂