8 Ways to stay on track during the holidays

The holidays don’t need to be an excuse to cancel out all your hard work!

Here are 8 ways to stay on track during the holiday season so you aren’t spending New Year’s Eve full of guilt over your December choices.

#1 - Don’t restrict!

Nothing is off limits! When we consider things off limits or “bad”, it actually makes us want to eat them. Just have a plan for what meals or favorite treats you will go all out on and enjoy! Think about a couple of big meals and 3-4 parties where you can just show up and have fun. You’ll have much better results overall.  

One more time for the people in the back - nothing is off limits!

#2 - Never show up to a party starving

On Party Day, be sure to eat throughout the day. Don’t think you can skip all your meals and then have excess calories for the party. It doesn’t work that way.

A protein shake before the party is a great way to help stay full and get that protein in! (Most of the holidays treats are sugar and carb-packed so we have to try a little harder to get our protein.) Fruit is another great choice at a party because it helps you stay full longer.

#3 - Be mindful while you eat 

Take smaller bites and enjoy your food instead of shoveling it in. 

You’re at a party to be social, so make sure you’re present in conversations instead of making food your total focus.

#4 - Be a picky eater

You rarely hear me say this! I love food. But just because you show up at the Christmas buffet doesn’t mean you have to eat everything. Take a minute, survey the food and decide which foods are your must-haves. You don’t have to eat everything to be polite!

#5 - Get in some at-home workouts

Research shows that gym attendance plummets in Nov and Dec. You are 100% going to be too busy for the gym most days, even if you’re a gym rat. These are the perfect months for at-home workouts. 

Core Fit is doing a December Holiday Hustle Challenge for the entire month, which gives you a full calendar of at-home workouts and help sticking to your diet. Core Fit has an entire video library full of workouts that can help you stay on track. Click here to access them right now! 

And here are 4 moves you can do at home, anytime (pictured below in order):

• 180-degree squat jumps

• high knees

• burpees

• mountain climbers 

• plank rocks

180 degree squat jumps

high knees

burpees

mountain climbers

plank rocks

Do each move for 45 secs, then 15 secs rest, for 2-3 rounds. Do it first thing and you’re done for the day. Every little bit counts. Even 10 minutes a day is better than nothing!  

#6 - Stay hydrated   It’s really easy to mix up thirst cues with hunger cues. A good goal is to shoot for half your body weight in ounces of water a day. My favorite trick is the 8 oz. rule. I don’t even measure it… I just drink 8 big gulps before and after I eat anything, even a snack. This also gives you a moment to think about what you’re about to eat.  

#7 - Try to get adequate sleep   Getting enough sleep helps your brain and hormone levels regulate. It’s also important when it comes to hunger cues and focus! According to Harvard Medical School, many of the costs of poor sleep go unnoticed. Medical conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, develop over long periods of time and result from a number of factors including insufficient sleep. Most experts have concluded that getting enough high-quality sleep may be as important to health and well-being as nutrition and exercise.    

#8 - Make smart choices with alcohol   Drinking reduces your inhibitions and increases your hunger. It also packs on the calories. But you don’t have to totally abstain. Just pick what days you want to drink carefully, just like you’re choosing which meals you’ll indulge in.    It also helps to drink with dinner instead of before or after. You’re inclined to eat more if you drink before dinner because of those lowered inhibitions. Make smart choices with what you drink too… like choosing wine over a mixed drink, because lets be honest... it's much easier to chug down a delicious mixed drink plus its packed with sugar and calories.  

You can absolutely enjoy your holiday season without feeling restricted… or guilty if you indulge in your favorites!  

Just follow these 8 simples tips and you’ll be ringing in the New Year with a smile because you’ll actually feel good about sticking to the plan all December long.  

Happy Holidays!

Join our Core Fit Facebook group so we can help each other stay on track!