Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Don't Let the Holidays take you OUT!!

Ok, so every year, during this festive time from November to January, the TRUTH comes out!!! We are forced to face the never ending supply of cookies, cakes, candies, chocolate, pies and eggnog and must decide HOW WE ARE GOING TO DEAL!! Even the toughest are challenged by delights only seen at this time of year. When health is still the goal during the feasting of the season, how do we still enjoy but not over do it with our eating selections?

#1- REALIZE that you CAN say NO- You do not have to drink the eggnog or eat the slice of pie JUST because it's offered or sitting there in front of you. Exercise your self-control and just say NO THANK YOU. I like to play a little game with myself called "Is it worth it?" When presented with a treat, I ask myself if I would be willing to do an extra hour of cardio in exchange for eating the treat. Usually the answer is NO and I get over it because I realize I didn't want the treat that bad. When the answer is YES, I enjoy one piece (or 1 serving) without guilt and then plan when I will get my extra hour of cardio in that day.

#2- Eat to be SATISFIED, not STUFFED- The Holiday Feast is sitting in front of you and you can't wait to try EVERYTHING on the spread. You fill your plate, only to realize you don't have enough room to fit Granny's mashed potatoes or Pap's biscuits. So you go get another plate...RIGHT??? WRONG!!! While it's ok to loosen up a bit on the holiday's to enjoy the meal, DON'T take this as an opportunity to go crazy. Try a little of everything but DON'T stuff your plate. Eat slowly, drink sips of water between bites and savor the flavors while you enjoy the company and the conversation. Learn to appreciate the experience (food, friends, laughs) as a whole and take the focus off of how much food there is. Eat so you are SATISFIED but still feel like you can move when you are done. Encourage everyone to take a walk after dinner to stimulate digestion! And, make sure to hit the gym the next day :)

#3- NO LEFTOVERS!! Well, I guess this depends on what you want to take home. Mac and Cheese, potatoes, bread, and anything that you would not eat regularly needs to stay. Turkey, lean steak, chicken can be GREAT leftovers so feel free to take those and add them to your eggs, sandwiches and salads for quick and easy meals. Leave pies, cookies, cakes and any other treats. Remember, there are more holidays right around the corner so you will have another opportunity for treats!! Don't feel like you have to eat them all now.

#4- STICK TO YOUR WORKOUT PLAN!! Many times, when we get busy, our workouts are the first thing to go!! DO NOT sabotage yourself this holiday season by getting lazy and forgoing the gym. Stay on task with your strength training and cardio to ensure minimal damage as you enjoy the wonderful foods of the season :)

I know you can be successful this holiday season!!! Let's do this together and stay healthy and happy during the holidays!

In Health,

Jada

3 comments:

  1. LOVE this! Get it Jada! - J Majors

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  2. I maintain that you can exercise even more during the holiday season. It is a simple fact, during the holiday season you will be taking in more calories. So if you normally exercise 3 times each week, then plan to exercise 5 times each week for 45 to 60 minutes.

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  3. Love that Spartan!! Totally agree that it is a good idea to increase the exercise during the holiday season :) I don't know too many who actually DO that, unfortuately LOL thanks for the comment!!

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