*Or ANY time of year!
Here are ten easy rules to follow so you don’t blimp out during the holidays.
1. Stay active! Hang out with family and friends and get your moves on! Or make sure you get about three miles of walking in every day to burn up some of those more indulgent cals. How much, and what you eat are most responsible for how much you weigh, rather than how much exercise you get, but if you’re out walking or playing you’ve got less time to pork out! Every little bit helps. Keep on movin'.
2. Avoid scandalous snack attacks! Sweets are plentiful at MY house during December but I try to bake ‘em and give ‘em all away so I’m not tempted! (Not fair to everyone else’s waistline but strangely they don’t seem to mind). Fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts are all better choices than holiday cakes and cookies. You’re probably more disciplined than you think when it comes to snacking smart!
3. Lower your Calorie Density! Leading weight control programs classify foods into categories based on calorie density. You can treat yourself to high from time to time, try to keep medium under control, and low means GO! Noom is one of the programs that uses this system and you can get an idea of what exactly falls in those three categories here.
4. Get all the sleep you need, and more. Sleeping is the time your body processes fuel and regulates your metabolism. You’ll likely note that you weigh the least during an average day right after you get out of bed in the morning. Missing sleep might make you crave unhealthy foods and skip exercise too. When in doubt, say “nighty night”!!
5. Drink water. All day long. Zero calories, fills you up, and you can’t eat while you’re doing it. Also, dehydration is not a recipe for a happy, functioning, metabolizing machine.
6. Don’t booze out. If you like to drink, the holidays are one big opportunity. Alcohol may make less healthy foods seem attractive, and it certainly contains unnecessary calories. If you find yourself unable to avoid a quaff-fest, at least drink water in between alcoholic bevs to mitigate the caloric intake!
7. Weigh yourself every day, same time. I prefer first thing in the morning since that’s when I’m the most enviably thin. Keep it on a graph even! Doing this has shown, for most people, to be a good way to stay motivated and well informed when it comes to dietary intake.
8. Try not to stress out. Meditate, go for walks, engage in activities that relax you, like favorite hobbies, and playing with pets. More stress means less healthy eating, craving more sweets and fat, and it’s just generally bad for your world’s overall vibe. Take a bath, put on something comfortable, recline, and think calm thoughts at least once during the day as time allows.
9. REWARD yourself, mindfully! What’s the point of all this astonishing self-control and good living if you don’t get to have something really fun that you enjoy at least once in a while? When you do it, TAKE YOUR TIME and really enjoy it. Maybe it’s a slice of chocolate cake, a tasty steak, or a few incredibly delicious Christmas cookies. Sit down, tuck in your napkin and SAVOR that sweet or treat!
10. BE NICE TO YOURSELF. If you transgress, don’t stress. Get right back on your best behavior and keep on truckin’! The less you self-judge the more you’ll genuinely appreciate your triumphs and the consistent awesomeness with which you otherwise operate!
If you follow these simple rules you might even find you’ve LOST weight during the holiday season! Good luck, I know you can do it!