As Christmas approaches, it’s extremely difficult for most people not to binge and pack on a few kilos. Packing on a little weight is quite normal during the holidays. But overindulging and stuffing yourself, instead of clean eating is no way to treat yourself or your body.
If we choose to binge over Christmas, we will be riddled with guilt and fat! Do we want to begin a new year with the same old resolution? I didn’t think so. Not to mention, the low self-esteem that follows when you have developed “love handles” in your bikini! (Gasp!) This is something to think about before we splurge.
Sure, the holidays are great and full of treats! But when the parties are over and January hits, we’re back to square one, trying to burn off the excess fat we carelessly put on during a short period of time. Being conscious of what kinds of foods we eat and how much we eat is key.
Every day we must remind ourselves that staying lean through discipline is much easier than trying to burn off excess fat once we’ve gained the unwanted kg’s. In essence, trying to loose fat is by far more difficult than to say to someone at Christmas lunch or a party, “No, thank you”.
Understandably, most people enjoy celebrating the season with holiday foods like cookies, cakes and recipes high in sugar, starches and fats etc…
We may attend a party with tables filled with dozens of prepared foods, but we don’t know all of the ingredients or recipes in them. Chances are if the food tastes incredibly delicious, it’s almost a guarantee that it’s very high in calories! If our goal is to maintain or even lose weight around the holidays, we must take action before it happens.
There are many ways to stay lean during the holidays without being tempted to eat a tray of donuts, a box of chocolates or a third plate of food. A good idea is to bring your own healthy dish to a gathering or party and take note of all portions being served on a plate.
We spend all year eating clean and focused on our workout regime, then when the holidays come around we inevitably fall off the ban wagon.
We may also want to consider eating a small healthy meal or snack at home prior to a get-together so we won’t be tempted to eat everything in sight. Then, we can just have smaller portions and sample the platters of food being served instead of packing the plate.
Another way to stay lean during the holidays is to invite friends to your place. That way you can be in control of most recipes and try not to eat until you’re full. Try serving raw veggies with low fat homemade dressings, instead of chips and dips. Drink plenty of water with meals so that you feel fuller.
It’s not that one Christmas lunch that can make you gain 5 kilos. It is all of the sugary “treats” so many co-workers, family and friends offer to us at parties or as Xmas gifts. Remember, you can say NO! Self-control may be difficult but keep in mind that it is also very difficult to loose fat. Try to remember to pack healthy snacks throughout your day to avoid binging or dropping the ball.
Making sure you train at least four or five times a week is important. Make time to fit cardio exercise into your schedule, as well as resistance training (body weight or weights) especially during the holiday season. It requires a lot of effort to fit exercise into a busy and social schedule but its super important if you don’t want to put on weight. If you need some time efficient at home workouts then checkout the Bikini Body Tabata Series. 4 minute High Intensity Interval Training workouts. Perfect for the holiday season complete with videos, workout guidelines eBook plus a 6 week Bikini Body Detox Diet Plan!
Also planning your days’ ahead (previous night) by packing meals and scheduling exercise time is beneficial for staying lean. Do not allow excuses that you’re tired.
As you know, exercise has many benefits and ironically increases energy, while promoting better sleep. With the holidays and festivities adding extra stress to our busy lives, don’t forget that keeping consistent with your exercise is a great way to relieve stress and keep your metabolism on target.
Enjoy the holidays! Try not to overindulge, and allow yourself a few treats on occasion. You deserve it if you’re on track majority of the time! Remember, if you binge you’ll end up paying a higher price later for a few blissful moments of Santa’s cookies or extra gravy!
For more workouts to do at home or on holidays checkout the Online Studio HERE