If you are like me, you have a ton of holiday parties going on this time of the year. So far I’ve already been to two, and I have another four coming up, not to mention Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day activities AND New Years Eve and New Years Day. It’s such a busy time of the year with above average temptations.
“Wellllll I can only have these yummy little treats this time of the year.”
“But the eggnog at this party is always the best eggnog I’ve ever had in my life.”
“I can’t go out to my husband’s work party without having at least one glass of wine.”
Any of these sound like you?
Girlfriend, I totally get it. I am obsessed with the food on Christmas day. The amount of sugar and butter in the french toast casserole is probably more than the combined total of sugar and butter I eat in a year. You guys all know I’m not going to a party without a drink or three. But I am not willing to give up my fitness goals just because of my social life and temptations around me.
Being lean, healthy and strong are all things very important to me, so I have to create a plan of attack to get through the holiday season without any weight gain!! So I’m going to clue y’all in on how I’m going to do it so you can create your own holiday fat loss plan too!
1. Get out your calendar. Mark down your party dates in green. Green is such a fun, social color anyway. Now, write down your workout dates in red. Red is bold and cannot be ignored. No matter what, you must stick to these workout dates. Some should be strategically marked in the morning after some of your parties, so that way you can’t have too much holiday spirit – that would make your workout routines pretty miserable.
2. Savor the things you love. Now that you have penciled in your workouts your workouts scheduled in RED INK, let’s talk about how you are going to handle yourself at these parties. If you know that the HR girl makes the BEST SUGAR COOKIES YOU HAVE EVER HAD IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, then yes, you should have ONE. Take one. Truly enjoy and savor every bite. Don’t scarf it down. Sit down, take each bite slowly and enjoy it. But that is it. Spend the rest of the party socializing, snacking on the veggie plate and sipping seltzer.
3. Bring your own dish. It’s courteous and you can impress people with your amazing cooking skills. Bring a clean eating recipe so it will give you something to eat while you are at the party, but no one else even needs to know how healthy it is. I like to bring deviled eggs or cherry tomato meatballs. Don’t forget, when shopping, bring your own foods with you as well. Learn more about my shopping MRE’s here.
4. Wear something sexy. You wanna look good and feel good right? Well this actually has a pretty big psychological impact and can keep you from overdoing it. Last Saturday I wore this tight little number, and I certainly didn’t want to overdo it or my belly was gonna stick out! Get my point?
5. Save it for the parties. If you know that Friday night is going to be a big night, don’t have your wine or chocolate on a Wednesday “just because.” That’s the thing about the holidays and the reason most people gain weight this time of the year. We get into the habit of having things mid-week “just because,” and then when you have something going on every single weekend for a month, and you indulge there too, you now have an excess of “sometimes foods.”
Keep it clean and be a little strict during the week. I’m sorry but a handful of your kids goldfish crackers or a doughnut with your coffee really do count right now because you are going to be taking in more on the weekends than usual. By the time the weekend or your party rolls around you will feel so much better about yourself and the extras that you have won’t hurt so bad.
6. Choose your drinks wisely. Red wine, vodka or tequila are the best choices. You can sip a couple of glasses of wine or vodka sodas in a night without doing too much damage. Beware of any pre-mixed drinks and anything with syrup or cream. Remember no matter what, you must stick to your water goal. So for me. before I leave my house I must have drank my entire gallon before I can move on to the big girl drinks.
7. If you are hosting, send your friends home with food. Don’t let anyone’s fatty foods stick around your house. If you have a ton of uneaten food, donate it to a local shelter or toss it right away. Don’t think about it, don’t let it sit there on your counter, speaking to you like the pile of money with eyeballs in the Geico commercial.
8. Keep in mind that the morning after too much alcohol, you are serious fat storing mode. Your metabolism is slower than ever and your body is craving carbs like a mofo. Tell your brain to shut it, and go have a sweet potato with your eggs. Sweet potatoes have a ton of electrolytes which will help you rehydrate. This is also a healthy carb. A couple of hours later in your next meal, have a banana. Coconut water is another great electrolyte replenisher as well. The point is you need to eat healthy foods that will help subside your cravings, foods that are going to be difficult to store as fat. And get up and move. Even if it’s just going for a walk. Anything to help speed up your metabolism!
9. Create a Plan of Attack. You know what to expect. The same dishes are made every single year. If you set a plan for yourself to allow a small portion of two of your favorites like mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, then stick to mainly turkey and veggies then you will be likely to stick to that plan. If you don’t have a plan for yourself you will be far more likely to indulge and overeat.
10. Stick to the meat and veggies. If you fill your plate primarily with turkey, green beans, peas, carrots and turnips you will be far less likely to turn to cornbread or too much pumpkin pie. These are the foods that are really good for you and are going to help you grow strong muscles and will not turn to fat! Once you fill up on the meat and veggies, feel free to have a small portion of your favorite goodies, but just like when you were a kid, you have to finish your veggies first!
11. It’s Okay to Say No Thank You. The people you spend time with on Thanksgiving care and Christmas about you. You must remember that. These people want to see you have success and if today success means not cheating on your personal fitness goals, then they want you to succeed in them. So be up front with your family and let them know that today, you are going to stay on track. If they give you a hard time, brush it off. You can do this. If you need to excuse yourself from the table when the desserts are being passed around, that is okay too. Go to the restroom, check your phone, send a friend a turkey day text… At the end of the day you are doing this for yourself and you have to be true to you. Be polite, say no thank you, move on and they will too.
Now that we are all armed with such a great plan of attack, avoiding weight gain during the holiday season should not be a problem at all. Heck, some of us may even LOSE body fat during the holiday season!
Just remember, it is so possible to stay on top of your goals this time of the year.
No excuses. Just keep pushing forward.
Your Coach,
Kyra
P.S. Do you need help creating your own meal ideas?
Check out my free recipes here!