Surviving the holidays… with your weight intact

For many the holidays are the ultimate excuse to get out of shape. Rather than follow our dedicated weight training and nutrition programs we so strictly adhere to most other times of the year, everything goes out the window after Thanksgiving. It is a slow decline really, with a missed workout here or there, then possibly a few bad meals, and before we know it we have fallen into total sloth and gluttony and are totally ok with it! (An exaggeration, of course, but you get the point!). To make matters worse opportunities for straying from your nutritional program are everywhere, as family and friend constantly offer every type of food (with the exception of ones we should be eating of course). While the situation may seem hopeless, all is not lost.
First let’s address your diet and nutrition program. We all know how hard it is to go to family gatherings and office parties and not indulge in the endless array of sugar laden treats. I am not going to tell you to completely abstain; go to the party and indulge, but don’t go crazy. Scope out the goodies and pick one or two that you really want. Make your choice and savor it, but then stop. While that piece of cheesecake is not the best choice compared to vegetables minus the dip (and who would want to eat that!), a single serving will probably never show up on your waist band. Another approach that you may enjoy requires some deal making (with yourself) and a little planning. Map out your events (this includes the actual holiday) decide what 2 or 3 functions you are going to really want to indulge at, and do it. The important part is to remember that outside of those events, you are to adhere to your regular healthy eating habits. The second part of this deal is that you will take home no leftovers. This part goes hand in hand with the first part because if they are around you will eventually become weak enough to eat them. We are not shooting for peak condition here, just damage control. Do not worry, after the holidays are over you can go back to your super-serious diet; it’ll be there when you get back and you might as well enjoy this while it lasts!

Next: Part II- keep your weight training productive and overcome adversity during the holidays