Battling the Holiday Bulge

Creating the right mindset is crucial to staying fit during the holidays.
The hard-earned results you attained from intense summer workouts may be lost
if you overindulge in holiday fare. If you spend more time eating and less time exercising beginning around Thanksgiving, you are bound to gain weight at the start of the year, eventually contributing to long-term obesity. But with so much shopping to
do and holiday parties to attend after work, who has time to count calories? A subtle
shift in mindset can have a profound effect on overall health. The mind is what determines success or failure, and you may need to be more conscious of your fitness goals to beat that holiday bulge. Drinking lots of water and eating salads at parties is not enough to stay fit during the holidays. The following guidelines can help you to create the right attitude to stay fit during the holidays, and to remain healthy the rest of the year.

Get psyched.

• Believe that you can attain and maintain a strong, shapely physique any time of the year.
• Set clear, realistic goals.
• Visualize your achievements.
• Start your new year early and begin your resolutions on December 1. This will help you to avoid a destructive thought pattern of giving up and waiting until the holidays are over.

Eat to live; don't live to eat.

• Create an inner awarness of every food you eat. Visualize fueling your active body with healthy food choices, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein. Imagine your muscles being fed as you feel a surge in energy.
• Eat a hearty breakfast. The sooner you eat after waking up, the higher your metabolism will be set throughout the day.
• Eat small, frequent meals. Eating every three to four hours will help to reduce strong cravings.

Stay in motion.

• The more you exercise, the more conscious you are about your well-being.
• Strength train at least twice a week.
• Perform cardiovascular conditioning at least three times a week.
• If time is an issue, reduce your workout time to 20 minutes. An intense and focused workout will help you to attain much in a short amount of time.
• On party days, train right before the party, as much as possible. Working out before a party helps to establish a strong mind/body connection, which helps to avoid sabotaging health goals.