5 Tips To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

I know it is only October, but the holidays will be here before we know it!  The end of this month ushers in Halloween candy, next comes turkey, Grandma's Pumpkin Pie and Stuffing.  Christmas brings a whole new smorgesboard of candies, dips, dinners and more!  It really is time to start thinking about how you will fight off those unwanted pounds this holiday season.  I know I want to lose weight this year during the holidays and not gain.  So, I wanted to share with you 5 weapons I plan to use to fight the good fight.  

Tip 1:  Sleep & Workouts

Stay consistent with your workout and sleep routines.  When we are tired we are more apt to give in to those sweet indulgences and eat or drink things we know we shouldn't.  Getting our shut eye will help us to avoid that for sure.  It goes with out saying one must also keep up with their workouts even during this busy time of year or they may see that 5-10 pound weight gain.  It is understandable workout time may not be as plentiful when there are presents to wrap, goodies to bake or parties to attend.  That's when it becomes so important to do any kind of workout you can.  Jillian Michaels has some great workouts 30 minutes or under, Chalene Johsnon has a few shorter workouts as well on her Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire workouts, and I also love 10 Minute Trainer as another option.  If you don't want to go the dvd route than commit to biking, running on a treadmill or doing an elliptical.  Don't have that equipment or time for the gym?  Then do some good old fashioned pushups, squats, lunges and crunches in a circuit routine.  Whatever it may be make a plan and commit to it!

Tip 2:  Water 

Drink lots of water!  This is not only good for your overall nutrition, but if you drink a large glass of water before a meal you are more apt to eat less because you will feel more full!  What a great calorie free weapon for those parties you will be attending!  Before you reach for the snack plate and wine grab a glass of h20!  Remember, those beverage calories count just as much as those cookies!

Tip 3:  Accountability

I don't want to sound like a broken record here, but accountability is KEY to any goal you have.  You can find accountability in a variety of places.  I like to find mine through my friends.  We keep each other up to date on workouts, meals etc and give each other a hard time when we don't do what we said we would.  A little tough love never killed anyone!  I also recommend tracking calories and workouts through some kind of app (for smart phones) or website.  Nothing makes a person stay on track like putting it out in to the cyber world and adding a few friends to check on it!  I like to use the site http://fatsecret.com (you can find me I'm Coach Nichole).  I also use the wowy supergym.  If you don't use wowy yet you can get a free account by clicking HERE.  

Tip 4:  Portion Control

This is the hardest thing for me when it comes to staying on track during the holidays.  My recommendation is to go for fruits and veggies first.  Then decide which dips, desserts and other meal options are really worth your splurge and take a small portion of them.  Don't feel like you have to try everything.  No one will be offended.  Remember, you want to be able to fit in to your wardrobe after the holidays too!

Tip 5:  Mindset

Nothing can kill your self control like a negative attitude.  If you find yourself down in the dumps do something to turn it around.  Read a good book (I recommend Unlimited by Jillian Michaels) to help you focus on maintaining your goals and taking a little journey to learn more about yourself.  I also really like listening to different motivating audios.  If you need suggestions let me know!  I could go on for hours about the audios that have changed my life.  Come to think of it, that may be a blog post in the making!

There you have it.  My 5 tips for staying on track this holiday season.  Do you have a tip or trick that helps you focus?  What is your biggest struggle during the holidays?  I'd love to see your comments below!