10 Tips to Help You Stay in Shape During the Holidays

by Coralie Seright on December 19th, 2018 | No Comments »

The holidays are fun, heartwarming, and let's face it—fattening. From Halloween to New Years you are eating candy, pies, rolls, turkey, ham, potatoes, and dozens (possibly hundreds) of other things that you don't normally eat or wouldn't be tempted to divulge in otherwise. I am no exception—I admit I have sneaked a piece of candy here and there from my unsuspecting kids and their Halloween stash, but we all know that in order to stay in shape during the holidays, you have to have willpower and confidence (the willpower is so you don't eat as much, and the confidence is because you KNOW you are a hottie and want to keep it that way)

With that being said, lets get to these 10 tips that will help you stay in shape during the holidays:

Exercise—First thing every morning you will want to get this done. Even if you are just taking a couple loops around the block, get out and exercise and get your heart rate up. If you already exercise regularly, change up your routine to keep promoting a higher calorie burn.
Have Fruit Before Your Meal—Enjoying a piece of fruit before your meal may help aid in digestion, and it will also help you feel more full at the table so you won't be tempted to overeat.
Avoid Skipping Breakfast—Skipping breakfast deprives your body of much needed nutrients that wake your metabolism up and get your body going every day. When you avoid eating breakfast (or any meal regularly) you are setting your body up to lose muscle tissue (this means you will get all flabby instead of look nice and tone).
Eat Every 3-4 Hours—It is ideal to try and eat about 6 meals a day that are around 300 calories each. Eat well rounded meals (remember your food groups?) and be sensible about your choices. You don't have to eliminate meat or carbs, just don't eat as much.
Control Portions—This goes back the saying "its not what you eat, but how much". Your main dish should not be bigger than your fist. I always eat a small serving first, then drink a glass of water, wait 15 minutes, then eat a little more if I am still hungry.
Don't Starve Yourself—While I just told you not to eat as much, I don't want you to starve your body either. Going without eating for long periods of time is setting yourself up for failure. You will want to eat everything in sight and not care about "counting calories". Eating regularly—even small meals or healthy snacks—will keep your metabolism primed and will also help you to make healthier eating choices. When you stop eating regularly your body's metabolism slows down, which in turn causes you to put on weight faster when you eat more. Keep a consistent routine and your metabolism will be doing the "happy dance" with you.
Choose Healthier Options—Eat healthy snacks (apples, calcium packed foods, nuts, and protein rich foods are all great to help burn fat). While there are other fat burner supplements in the market, it is always better to stick to the ones made with natural ingredients.
Drinks Lots of Water—Slow down on the caffeine, pop, and alcohol. Choose water instead.
Take Time to Relax—Getting enough sleep and having some "you time" can really make a big difference in how your body will handle weight loss (or maintenance). Evaluate your stress levels and keep yourself in a happy place and your body will respond positively.
Do Your Shopping on a Full Tummy—One way to help you save yourself from gaining weight and losing money is to go to the store on an empty stomach. Eat before you go to the store so that you are not buying everything that sounds good (healthy or not) and then running home to break into the Nutty Bars. Having a full stomach will ensure that you make smart choice and (gasp) maybe even healthy ones while shopping.

What are you doing to stay in shape this holiday season?

Coralie blogs about saving money with coupons, DIY, crafts, reviews, giveaways and more at Lovebugs and Postcards. She is married with four kids, works from home full time, and also loves to be part of her community. When she is not working on the computer she likes to read, play sports, spend time with her family, and travel.

Picture courtesy of Flickr