For most of us, the holidays are a time of mixed emotions. You’re excited and anxious to spend time with family, and you’re dreading the extra weight that you might gain. Are these holiday pounds inevitable?
Lean in close to catch these seven secret ways to help you fend off extra weight through the holidays.
Holiday Secret #1: Listen to Your Body
When your body tells you it’s full, listen up! A single bite after you’re full will lead to extra calories and eventually, extra pounds.
Holiday Secret #2: Confine the Holidays
For some, holidays become weeks and even months of poor eating. Be careful to avoid this pitfall by digging into your holiday foods only on the actual holiday. Treat the other days like normal days—even if you’re off of work. And when the holiday is over, let someone else take the leftovers home and go to your own house without any pudding or gravy in tow.
Holiday Secret #3: Eat First, Party Second
You read right—it’s good to eat before heading out the door. Have a healthy, well-rounded meal at home with fruits, vegetables, and your protein source of choice. And drink a tall glass of water. Why? So when you get to that holiday party that is overflowing with cookies, cakes, candies, and calories, you’re not hungry for it. Your stomach is full of healthy goodness and has no room for that stuff.
Holiday Secret #4: Plan Your Escape
Getting away from food isn’t easy. If you expect to be able to walk away from delicious foods without any forethought, think again. Before walking into a potentially challenging situation, plan out what you’re going to eat and take your own dish to share if you can. Any time there is a particularly difficult eating situation, make plans an hour or so after the dangerous-to-your-diet event begins and excuse yourself.
Holiday Secret #5: Exercise Everywhere
One of the best excuses to gain weight is that you have to travel to visit family and don’t have access to your workout routine. Scope out the area where you’ll be traveling and take advantage of whatever exercise opportunities are available. There may be a gym or pool at your hotel, a pay-as-you-go gym, or a nice park nearby where you can walk or run with or without family members. (Or, I can help!)
Holiday Secret #6: Pay Attention to People
Holidays are about family and friends…right? Then focus on family and friends (instead of food). When you go to a party, it’s much easier to talk without munching and you even listen better when you’re not stuck thinking about how good the next bite is going to be.
Holiday Secret #7: Drink Instead
No, this isn’t a license to drink as much alcohol as you can find. Doing that will add lots of empty calories to your waistline. Instead, do your best to make friends with a glass of water everywhere you go. As you mingle with your water glass, you’ll find it challenging to grab more than a couple of finger foods here and there, and the fact that it is water will help you remember to watch what else goes in your mouth!
Wouldn’t you love to make 2026 the year that you transform your body?
Wouldn’t it feel great to look forward to bathing suit season? To be given a clean bill of health from your doctor?
It’s all more possible than you think.
But you’ll need to take action.
My programs are designed to quickly and efficiently get you into the best shape of your life. You don't need to wait until January 1st to consider making some healthy changes.
