Written by: Zac Rose, Personal Trainer, O2 Fitness-Chatham
With summer coming to an end, it is time to start planning on how to keep that summer body you worked so hard for as we head into winter. On average, Americans gain 10-15 pounds during the holiday season. How do you keep from falling off the wagon and losing all your hard work?
Using a smaller plate will help you to practice portion control and eat less during those big holiday meals.
Drinking water should be something you do daily, but drinking it before big meals will help you feel more full and help your body to digest the food you are taking in. This will also eliminate the extra calories you gain from sugary drinks.
Adding too much butter or going back for that second piece of pumpkin pie will surely add extra calories to your daily totals. When possible, skip the excess calories to keep your daily intake at a manageable level.
With all the family trips and dinners during the holiday season, it’s easy to say you’ll skip the gym and just go tomorrow. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today! Go to the trip and keep your body and metabolism in top shape. This will also help your avoid some of the stress eating that comes with the season!
The holidays should be a happy time for everyone, so enjoy them! Staying in shape during the holidays doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself, it just means you have to do it with some self-control and a little willpower!
The holidays can be the pitfall for many people looking to keep themselves in shape. We wear more clothes so we forget about all the hard work we put into getting in shape in the first place. It gives us a reason to skip the gym. Have fun, but take care of yourself too! It will make life much more enjoyable when Spring rolls around.