November and December. For a lot of people these back to back months might as well each be re-named National Weight Gain Month. These are the worst months of the year for someone trying to lose weight of even maintain their current weight.
It is kind of strange. November and December are sort of “pleasure” months. You indulge in all kinds of extravagant foods and high calorie beverages. On the flip side, January is kind of “pain” month. This is when you typically go on a strict diet and exercise regimen and have more than enough motivation to maintain it.
The question is where is all the motivation in November and December? For most people, it is put on the back burner for all the other crazy things that keep you busy. You just need some tools and strategies to help you through it. This article is going to give you a few tips to get you started to help you get through the holidays. Here we go:
Don’t turn November and December into an “All You Can Eat Buffet”
There is a good chance that you are going to be attending some sort of holiday party with more than enough food for everyone there. You will be very tempted to over-indulge just like everyone else. The problem with this type of environment is that it is socially acceptable to over-indulge with everyone else there. Just think of Thanksgiving. It is notorious for eating until you cannot possibly eat anymore. It is certainly enjoyable at the time but we all know how it feels afterwards. You feel tired, sluggish, exhausted, and you feel like you gained 15 pounds after 1 meal. This is where simply having some self discipline to eat until you feel satisfied and not stuffed comes into play. Control your portion sizes and you will still be able to enjoy your meal without the dreaded post holiday weight gain.
Watch the amount of alcohol
Alcohol is usually in abundance at most holiday parties. Mostly many people find themselves consuming more alcohol that what they know they should be taking. Having a drink or two is not going to sabotage your weight loss goals. But having a lot more than that certainly will. Alcohol is very calorie dense. It is like drinking empty calories without any nutrition benefit whatsoever. You can still have a drink or two and enjoy yourself. But I don’t have to tell you the consequences or over-indulging. Having a hangover is a sure way to kill any chances of getting in a quality workout the next day.
Plan your workouts are going to be beforehand
If you try to “wing it” with your workouts you will find that you either procrastinate or you don’t exercise at all. Why? Because taking the time and effort to create your workout is going to be another thing on the to-do list that can get pushed to the back of the list. Having a good workout already created for you is going to make it much easier to exercise without putting it off. You can easily do this by searching resources online and even checking out YouTube. Whatever you do just don’t “wing it” when it comes to your workouts If you do to find a good resource that will show you some simple and effective workouts you can do at home to save time and boost your energy levels.
There is no doubt that the holidays are a busy time of the year that can really throw your mind and body way off track with regards to maintaining a healthy weight. You can use some of the strategies in this article to help you make it through. In summary, if you keep your portion sizes moderate and keep exercising you will maintain your weight at worst. It might seem like a bit of a hassle during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season but it will be well worth it on January 2nd when you know you are one of the people who does not have to spend all of January working your butt off in the gym!
