Five Steps to Lose and Not Gain this Holiday Season

The Holiday season is geared towards consumption and over indulging. I am not just talking about our credit cards, but our thighs, booty, stomach and the part I hate the most…my built-in pooch. Now I would have no creditably if I made a list and said do this and not that blah blah and never did anything about it. These five steps I am going to share are the ones I have used and found great success. Yes, we all come from different walks of life, but our minds as females making our way through the holiday season is close to the same.

Step #1– I struggle the most with getting in the mindset to workout each morning. The nights I lay out my workout attire for the morning, gives me the mindset to get dressed and head to the gym. The best time for me to workout is in the afternoon, but if I know that will not happen, I go with this approach. Tossing on a pair of cute work out clothes when my feet first hit the ground puts me in the right mindset. Instead of wondering what I am going to wear for the day when I am sipping my coffee I suddenly reorganize my to-do list and fit in when I am going to get my work out on.

It’s no secret that I love my sneakers and these gold and silver Nike sneakers have been my most sought-after item this year. I found a couple sizes on Ebay, because they are my go-to website for Nike’s when my color and size sell out too fast. Size tip: Size down a ½ size in Nike Presto Fly Sneakers as I feel they run a little smaller than my other favorite style, Nike Roshe. I also have these Nike Roshe’s in gold that you have seen me wear and my next pair is this rare Olive Green Roshe that is impossible to find, but of course Ebay has them!

I have also purchased so many pairs of my favorite LuLuLemon Align leggings from Ebay because my size in the new colors always sell out so fast. 81% of the items on Ebay are Buy it Now and New and those are the items I shop the most.

Step #2- The holidays are quick, I can just skate by. This has never worked for me, and I have tried this style plenty of times. I love creating schedules and itineraries, so I use this love to create an action plan for the holidays. I first put on the calendar all the trips for November and December, I then put down any local family and friends we will be visiting with that revolve around eating and drinking. This gives you the ability to see visually the amount of days you are likely to do damage to your body. I then look for a gym or what kind of weather I will be dealing with when I go on vacation. You can buy a pass to a gym for your few days of travel, bring a heavy coat if it’s cold, or make sure there is somewhere close for my style of workout. This not only gives you the assurance you will be able to stay on track, but also puts you in the mindset of staying with your goal. The days you have parties with your friends and family, you can put a big reminder to burn the number of calories you are planning to eat.

Step #3- I have snacks in my pantry for the kids. I know I have no children, but we do have family and friends over with kids quite often. We will stock up on everything we can think of that kids will enjoy during parties. This is something we still struggle with, but every time we get rid of the nutrient dense foods, we never find ourselves snacking. The way I counter my snacking habits is with popping a half cup of popcorn and add nothing to it. If you’re a sugar or chocolate fanatic, try a sweet and salty trail mix and dark chocolate. Just saving sugar and sodium amounts will help you with cravings for more candy and chocolate.

Step #4- I can’t work out today because.. I just don’t want to. I have found help from my husband on days I don’t feel like going. No matter where you are in life, find a friend, co-worker, spouse, parent, your child, trainer, someone you know will hold you accountable and vice versa. This will keep it fun, along with having someone close to you to keep you on track when you’re feeling weak minded.

Step #5- I ate everything on my plate and now I’m stuffed. The best way to counter this issue is by portion control. Yes, your Mother makes the best sweet potato casserole, but that does not mean you have to load half your plate with it. Try grabbing a smaller plate, adding the protein first, and then taking smaller servings of all your favorites to fill your plate and not just huge helpings of them all. The extra bonus would be eating a small plate at the house an hour before you head to your destination, in order to fill up before you arrive and see the spread, especially if you know alcohol will be the center of the party. My trick is to always eat something with a little protein before I start social drinking because if I wait till I have consumed a couple my desire for a healthier dinner goes out the window. Diet can never be outworked in the gym, just remember that.

The last rule to tie them all in, have fun and enjoy the time with family and friends, but remember to never neglect your own body and mind!

Outfit Details: Metallic Logo Hoodie with LuLuLemon Align Leggings and Nike Presto Sneakers in Black/Blur Gold.