Feast or Family?

The day after Thanksgiving is the first shopping day of the holiday season and the first of many hi-fat gatherings with family and friends.

Here are some tips to get you started on your journey to a healthy holiday season:

1. Set a realistic weight goal.
   
   1. Some people just can’t lose weight over the holidays. It’s unrealistic for you to set a weight loss goal for yourself if you fall into this camp. That’s okay as long as you don’t feel guilty about a goal of weight maintenance rather than weight loss.
   2. Most people tend to slip from their goals at least a bit, so consider setting a goal a little higher than what you want to achieve.
   3. If you haven’t set a goal yet, start now! Studies show that people are much more likely to achieve their goals if the goal is specific and in writing. Set your goal now and write it down.
   
   
   
2. Set goals for controlling your eating.
   
   1. Don’t go to parties and gatherings ravenously hungry. If you do, you are setting yourself up for failure. People overeat when they are hungry. Don’t forget, it takes your body 20 minutes to realize that it’s full. By the time 20 minutes has passed, you’ve already eaten more than you intended to.
   2. Don’t nibble. Nibbling leads to overeating because it is difficult to track how much you have actually eaten. My strategy is always to load my plate up with what I am going to eat, and once I’ve finished what’s on my plate, I’m done for the evening.
   3. Don’t forego your favorite foods-It will only cause you to crave them more! Eat your favorite foods in moderation. Not only will you be able to enjoy them, but you will be happier because you are working towards your weight loss goal.
   
   
   
3. Continue to follow your exercise plan religiously.
   
   1. Most people let their exercise programs slip during the holidays. This is probably one of the most important times to keep up your program. If you don’t have enough time on a specific day to complete your full workout, just do a partial workout. Even 10 minutes is better than nothing! Exercise is key to helping you stay healthy over the holidays.
   2. Increase the time and intensity of your working out over the holidays if possible. Because your eating may increase over the holidays, exercise may be just what you need to keep those extra pounds off. One word of caution here, just because you are exercising doesn’t mean that you can eat anything you want.
   
   
   
4. Join a community.
   Having someone to talk to to keep you motivated is probably going to do you more good than just about anything else!