With Halloween being tomorrow that means Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. The holidays are notorious for being a tough time to stay committed and on track to meeting goals. BUT, you don’t have to succumb to the avg. 7-10 lb. holiday weight gain (New England Journal of Medicine).
Make an October Resolution today (before the month ends), instead of waiting till January to make a New Year’s Resolution. Study findings show that if you wait until January to overhaul your eating habits, you’re way behind.
My personal tips to avoid the holiday season weight gain:
- Be aware of extra liquid calories– for ex. Eggnog, which can have over 350 calories per glass and the majority of the Limited Edition holiday Starbuck’s drinks can be packed with extra calories UNLESS ordered in a very specific way. I recommend looking up macronutrient information in a food tracker app. like My Fitness Pal before placing your order.
- Eat a snack before attending holiday parties- preferably a protein and carbohydrate snack like nuts or cheese and some fruit or even a protein bar like a My Bar for example would suffice. Words of advice- “Ruin your appetite before you go!”
- Maintain your exercise schedule or if you can- slightly increase your energy expenditure.
- Get enough regular and consistent sleep– this will help keep your hunger and hormones in check to help lower your chances of over eating.
- Share fitness goals on social media– this habit can hold you accountable to your previously set health and fitness goals.
And remember the REASON for the season; which is NOT the food, and cherish the time spent with your friends and family making memories.
Look out for the next blog post; which will delve further into the topic of using social media as a powerful tool to improve your health!
Stay #strong,
Laura Nicole Hughes
Owner of #strong, LLC