Avoiding the Post Holiday Paunch

With the holidays fast approaching, we all need to be thinking about how to handle the all the excess!  Here are some a few tips so you won’t feel like a beached whale come January:

*Drink tons of water.  I even like to do one glass in between each cocktail.  Have a sparkling water with lime or lemon – so you feel like you are being festive.  This will keep you hydrated through all that partying and will cut down on calories as you fill up with water and don’t feel the need to keep drinking.  It also works wonders when trying to avoid that awful morning hangover.

*Do not go to a holiday hungry.  Make sure you eat something before you leave to take the edge off.  And, when you do arrive, go straight to the veggies.  Cheese and nuts, in moderation, are okay.  Avoid dips, chips and sweets.

*Being so busy with everything going on, it’s easy to skip the workout.  Don’t.  At the very least, take 20 minutes each morning and for a brisk walk, get on the treadmill, do sit-ups, work with weights – whatever!  Those 20 minutes will keep your head in the game and keep your metabolism in check.

*With all the socializing going on over the holidays, let’s face it, it’s exhausting.  My tip for survival here: get 8 hours of sleep a night and have some quiet moments – whether you are meditating or reading a book – whatever that means to you. 

*Make a list of your fitness & nutrition goals for the New Year now. Write them down and show them to someone and start reading them aloud every day.