It's MONDAY!!! But this week is definitely a little different because it's a holiday week! For many of us this means that our normal routine is not happening, we have kids home, we may be traveling or we may be hosting company from out of town. It could be way easier to throw up your hands and give up on our weight loss routines, our healthy eating lifestyles or our plan to start because we will be faced with too much temptation. OR you could use this time to get started, throw out the excuses and get healthy! But the best part of this all is that I'm here to help you and I want you go have the best of both worlds. I dont want you sitting in the corner at Thanksgiving with your water and celery sticks, but I dont want to drag you out of a bucket of gravy either!! Let me show you some of my tips for balancing it all and truly enjoying your holiday without feeling like your missing out!
Speaking of gravy let's chat about our eating. That is THE EASIEST way to start making a change right now. You always have a choice and you can start making better ones immediately. You dont have to wait to start till "Monday". So personally I plan to incorporate the 21 Day Fix into my Thanksgiving dinner plan. YES I will be bringing my little colored containers, filling them up and dumping them out on my plate. There is no reason to pile on all the food just because its there or its a holiday. I know that when I eat too much I feel like crap. And as much as I love mashed potatoes they provide little nutritional value. So for me I will swap out something like sweet potatoes. Traditionally my family makes an amazing sweet potato pie (which I will be missing this year as we'll be in different locations) so I will bake a sweet potato and eat it plain with Harper. Try skipping the mashed potatoes, corn, rolls and any other simple carbs you have at your table and replace them with more complex carbs like sweet potato, brown rice or quinoa. I have some pretty amazing recipes listed below!
If you've finished your meal and are tempted to go back for round two wait about 15 minutes, drink a big glass of water and enjoy the company at your table. Your brain needs some time to process that your body is actually full and doesnt need to eat any more.
Stay Hydrated. When you are traveling it's easy to not drink your water. Make sure that water is still your main drink of choice and that you are focused on 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day. That is the key to keeping hydrated, full, and not over eating. Remember you still have dessert on the way!
Here are some other really helpful tips on how I plan to survive the day!!
Get moving Food shouldn’t be viewed as an enemy. We should all enjoy, but in moderation. The key to enjoying is to get moving!! There are lots of quick and fun things you can add to your normal workout routine. Hop on the treadmill during your favorite holiday TV shows. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Park farther away at the mall and take the stairs with your packages. Better yet, get your workout done in the morning instead of being derailed by evening holiday hoopla.
Select healthy first Don’t skip all of your meals and snacks if you have a holiday part of Thanksgiving feast waiting for you in the afternoon. Make an effort to keep it clean and light but DON’T SKIP meals. You need to fuel your body and kick start that metabolism. Think lean proteins, veggies and your Shakeology to keep you going until your holiday festivities begin.
Try the one-a-day program I typically say one “splurge” a week and will always say this but I also understand that the holidays are FULL of functions. So be super good during the week with no cheats but if you have a weekend with several activities limit yourself to one indulgence per day. Don’t deprive yourself of all sugar for three days so you can pig out at the company holiday party. Be moderate in your thought process: one cookie, one candy, one eggnog, not one of everything all at once.
Control the risk for temptation Don’t walk through the kitchen 10 times a day when you know it’s filled with treats and candies. Don’t place treats on your kitchen counter or on your coffee table to stare you in the face. Know yourself and your weaknesses so you can more easily avoid them. Have kids and a hubby who aren’t following your plan? That’s ok…avoiding sugar is a HEALTH thing not a “fit” or “weight loss” thing. Sugar is like a drug and no one really needs it. Keep them on the one a day rule too!
Never go to a party hungry One of the worst things you can do is starve yourself before a holiday party in a misguided effort to save up your calories. The hungrier you are, the less capable you are of staying in control. Avoid the grazing mentality at parties: take a plate and fill it only once with appetizers and move away from the buffet table. Socialize with friends and enjoy their company.
Exercise in the morning Getting your short 30 minute workout done first thing in the morning will help you to make better decisions all day. If you are traveling and are staying at a hotel you can take your laptop and do your workout in your hotel room. You can go to the gym and improvise with a different workout if you don't have a laptop. You can find a place in your parents house to workout early in the morning that won't disturb anyone else or you can invite family to workout with you. Get a good cardio sweat session in on Thanksgiving so that you are burning more calories at rest! It helps with the extra indulgences during the day!!!
Escape the couch Step away from the living room, and invite family and friends to get active. Choose gifts that encourage venturing outdoors, such as sleds, skates, or snowshoes. Get out and power walk to see the neighborhood holiday lights. Don’t have snow? There are lots of great outdoor toys…Pick up a football, soccer ball or a good old fashion game of tag….the kids will sleep GOOD!!!
Be careful of liquid calories Holidays are notorious for tempting us with drinks we wouldn’t normally consume. Alcohol offers no nutrients, just empty calories! Eggnog coffee drinks with whipped cream, hot toddies, and spiced rum can have as many calories as a personal pan pizza! Opt instead for sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice of your choice. If you’re looking for an adult beverage shoot for vodka with soda water and a lime. It’s the least amount of cals but for every drink have a full glass of water too. If you follow a 21 day fix meal plan then substitute 1 oz of vodka for a yellow! A YELLOW YES! So that means you get 1 less carb. So make sure you account for that during the day.
Wine is again 1 yellow so choose accordingly.
Set your own limits Many times we eat foods or have seconds just to please the hostess or cook. Politely say “No thank you. Everything looks delicious, but I think I’ve reached my limit!”
Focus on socializing, not food Go to a party to socialize, not just eat. Use your energy making conversation rather than focusing on food. 'Tis the season for friends and family, after all, and conversation is calorie free!
I posted my meal plan below because I really want you to see that I don't change much thru my week.
What's my week look like? Well normal schedule Monday through Wednesday day. Then Wednesday we head to my in-laws and have lots of family time. Snacks, treats and cheats will be all around but I plan to save my Shakeology for the afternoon to stay on track.
Thursday morning for Thanksgiving I will be up doing my workout, shakeology for breakfast, healthy am snack, egg white omelet for lunch and then people will start to arrive for Thanksgiving. Afternoon snack is veggies and hummus. Dinner will be easy, just keep it simple. Like I said I'll have my sweet potato plain and my turkey without gravy I can handle that! Double up on veggies, sit away from the desserts, drink tea and water and play games with the family. Keep the focus away from food and it's all good! It's a mental thing for me, if I go in with a plan I'm much easier able to stay on track. I also have to ask what the menu is. If I try to leave it by chance or expect that people know I am eating healthy that isn't going to cut it.
Friday its back to business. If you're an Black Friday shopper you may be out and back to still do your normal morning workout! If not that's ok but make a point to make it happen. If you're going to be out for hours at a time pack a snack! Apples/almonds, a quest bar, shakeology and a shaker cup in the car. Whatever sounds good for you just bring it! When you're at the mall avoid routes that take you past the food courts or Starbucks. The foods and drinks loaded with salt, sugar, carbs and other junk will only bring you down. It might be a challenge but you can do it. Its just a couple hours, get it and get out. Enjoy the new clothes you just bought and wear them with confidence knowing you are working each and every day towards your goals!
If you want some good holiday recipes and swaps for your holiday here are some of my favorites:
Taking an appetizer?
baked brie bites!!
Side Dishes?
Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad
Clean Eating Green Bean Casserole
Bacon Wrapped Veggie Bundles
Desserts?
Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Pie Bites
21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pie
I wish you a healthy and happy Holiday!!!!
I am going to be starting a Holiday Survival Guide group November 30th. If you want some tips just like this to staying on track for the month of December and that extra level of accountability then make sure to join here!
The requirements are 30 days of Shakeology, Fitness Program optional, option to start with the 3 day refresh and or the 21 day fix! Think about it this way! Don't wait until after the holidays to get started. You can actually lose an average of 2lbs a week between now and Christmas! Think 10 lbs gone before the ball drops on 2015!
