It’s December! And with four fun-filled weeks left in the year I want to give you a few simple strategies to focus so that you can enjoy the holidays without sabotaging your health along the way, or packing on a few unwanted pounds.
I know it's difficult to think about prioritizing your health at this time of year. I can relate 100% to the unending busyness, the delicious holiday treats at every turn, and the exhaustion that keeps you from hitting the gym. As a working mom of three I'm constantly feeling the tension between desperately wanting the holidays to be done already and also wanting to soak up every magical moment while my kiddos are little.
We are doing it ALL... mailing a hundred cards, going to light shows and the Polar Express train ride, church plays and choir rehearsals, placing Amazon orders in the middle of the night, endless trips to the store for every single class party, white elephant gift exchange, and gingerbread house decorating bonanza, and yes... hiding that stupid Elf on the Shelf. And in spite of doing it "all", I have nagging feelings of guilt for all the balls I'm dropping and all the things we've said "no" to.
This may come as a surprise to you, but I can also relate to the feeling on uneasiness as the holiday season trudges along and my pants are feeling tighter. One skipped workout turns into several, a single brownie turns into the whole pan, and without really being conscious of it so many of our healthy habits begin to take a back seat. It’s tempting to see this season as short, just give up, throw in the towel, and decide to restart in January.
Girl, I want to stop and challenge you right now to not give up. I think this is important enough to write an email about because I have seen this happen 17 times (17 years in the health & fitness industry) and every single year I have women who come crying to me in January and wish more than anything that they treated their bodies better during the holidays.
Ok, let's get to my top 3 tips for avoiding holiday weight gain without feeling deprived for the next FOUR weeks:
1) Make healthier versions of your favorite treats.
Does the thought of eating eggs and spinach on Christmas morning make you want to cry? Me too! There are so many fun and delicious seasonal foods and you don't need to miss out on all of them. Instead of having the "all or nothing" mentality, look for ways to upgrade your holiday favs.
Here are two recipes I'm eyeing, Seven-Layer Dessert Bars and Paleo Cinnamon Rolls. They both look amazing!
2) Whatever you do, DON'T STOP MOVING.
You've heard me say it again and again, "you can't out-exercise a bad diet". I'm not encouraging you to exercise so that you can "earn" your calories, I want you to keep exercising because once you stop it is soooo hard to start back up again. An object in motion stays in motion!
There's also the amazing impact of exercise on blood sugar, and this is going to increase energy, help fight off sugar cravings, and give you a little more "space" for some of those sweet treats. It doesn't have to be your normal 60-minute cycling class, just commit to some type of exercise every day over the next two weeks. A 10-minute walk counts!
3) Fast for 12 hours every day.
FAST?! You want me to do do WHAT?! Calm down... I want you to fast for 12 hours between dinner and breakfast every day. That means that if you finish dinner at 7pm at night, wait until 7am the next morning to eat. If this sounds intimidating, remember that you are going to be sleeping for the majority of this time! You're not actually skipping any meals, you're just being intentional about your timing between dinner and breakfast.
This type of fasting acts as a "metabolic reset". It allows your body to more easily clear out inflammation, scavenge for cancer cells and eliminate damaged cells, improve healthy gut bacteria, and allow you to fully digest your food from the day before. It also improves blood sugar regulation, insulin sensitivity, and hunger hormones. So amazing.
All right, there you have it, by absolute best tips to keep you going steady over the next four weeks. If you only have the bandwidth to manage self-care in these three ways, I've given you the most effective strategies. Eat real food versions of your favorite treats, keep moving your body, and be intentional about spacing between dinner and breakfast. I know you've got this!
