I love the holidays.  I love spending time with family and friends.  I love the decorations, the tree, the festivity and all of the fun leading up to Christmas!   And the holidays would not be complete without my favorite holiday treats!

Gulp.

Many people have family holiday food traditions that span decades and then there’s the grocery items that only appear around the holidays.  And then there’s the ads promoting said holiday goodies.  It’s a cavalcade of temptation.  And it can be disastrous to your end result.  (Get it, like rear end).

This is not my first time at the Holiday Rodeo so here are some of my favorite tips to help you get through the holiday, relatively unscathed.

1.  NO MATTER WHAT – do not go on a fitness hiatus.  Oh my gosh I hear this every year “I’ll be back in January, I’m too (fill in the blank)”.  Please.  Don’t.  Staying on track with your workouts, even if it’s only 15 minutes a day is worth it. For your sanity, if nothing else.
2. Make a list of your have to have, favorite holiday foods.  It could be fudge.  Or honey glazed ham.   Or eggnog, or sugar cookies.  Write down what holiday foods you truly love but (here’s the kicker) cannot easily get any other time of year.  Now that you have a list go ahead and enjoy the things that you love.  In moderation and without guilt.
3. Don’t eat foods that you a) don’t care for or b) can get any other time of year.  For example, you can buy See’s Candy anytime so instead of digging into that box of nuts and chews, opt for something from the list you made in Step #2.   And just because an eggnog latte or chocolate mint mocha is on the menu at Starbucks does not mean you have to drink it.  A holiday coffee is not a shopping requirement.
4. Eat balanced meals just like you do every other day of the year.  Then factor in parties, heavier dinners with friends or relatives, alcohol or dessert.  It helps to actually write these days on your calendar so you have a clear idea of what your holiday month looks like so you can help budget your calories on these days.  For example,  if you have plans Saturday night for a special holiday dinner make the smart choice to have lighter, cleaner foods during the day.
5. Practice makes permanent.  There are ways you can maneuver your way around the buffet line or app table, even in a sparkly dress.  Eat a light meal or snack before you go and then be picky at the buffet line!   Consider yourself a purveyor of fine foods 🙂  There is something to be said for coming home from a party knowing that you had fun and made smart food choices.  The more you practice doing this the better you’ll feel about going out.

I hope these tips help.  Let me know what works for you!

Now go run!

Keli 🙂