Stay Fit Through the Holidays

Whether you've realized it or not, the holiday season is right around the corner and there's a good chance a lot of you are going to fall off your fitness wagon before the year's end. To help keep that from happening, I am going to offer you a few tips to keep your New Year's resolution from being more drastic than it has to be. DISCLAIMER: Surprisingly enough, these tips may sound familiar...

1.  Eat controlled portions. Don't get me wrong I love yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, ham, turkey and all that good stuff as much as you do. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you need to eat yourself sick consuming these delicious dishes. Do what I do and grab a small portion of all the good stuff and put it on one plate. If you have to go back for seconds or your food is stacked higher than a serving size to fit on the plate then there is a good change you don't need anymore food. Get the taste, enjoy it and move on, don't over indulge! If you really didn't eat enough, you'll be hungry in a couple hours and you can go back for a little more, simple as that.

2. Ease up on the sweets. Halloween is about here and Thanksgiving along with Christmas are no stranger to candy, brownies, cookies and all sorts of sugary stuff. If you want to enjoy these holiday treats, literally leave room for dessert and be mindful of the fact you are going to eat this stuff. I'm not going to sit here and tell you to refrain from eating these goods because that's just not right, but it is not unreasonable to again; CONTROL YOURSELF. Be aware that the hormonal and chemical responses brought on by sugar consumption can lead to a vicious cycle of non-stop sugar cravings which if endured during the two-month holiday run, there's a good change you'll be signing up with me in January and we'll be discussing how to lose the extra twenty pounds you suddenly put on.

3. Stay active! Sure the holidays are stressful. You're worried about buying presents for the kids, your boss is riding you at the end of the year and your weird uncle and his bratty kids are staying in your house for two weeks. What better excuse to get away from all that than to take 20-40 minutes to yourself a few days a week and get some physical activity! The physical activity will relieve stress and increase your body's sensitivity to insulin meaning you will better metabolize all the carbs you're going to mindfully consume. Remember, the more intense the workout, the shorter it has to be. Try to get three or four workouts in during the week using a mix of high intensity interval training, circuit training and strength based cardio training. These workouts pack huge metabolic benefits in as little as twenty minutes!