We are officially getting close to the holiday season, I can smell the Thanksgiving turkey from here … and with the holiday season, comes a myriad of food temptations and goal regression traps!
Don’t stress too much (there's already enough to worry about around the holidays), if you act now, there’s still time to maintain your goals while dressing up in your holiday’s finest.
Sharing 5 Goals we've put in front of our San Diego fitness family at C4FIT to prepare for the Holiday Season….
1. Eat more Veggies: Your mom was right, eating vegetables really is a good idea, especially when aiming to drop pounds and inches. Why? There are a couple of reasons. First, veggies are low in calories and high in fiber, which means that you’re filling up without packing on pounds. Second, the vitamins and minerals in fresh vegetables nourish your body and cut down on cravings. When you approach the holiday buffet selection, stay close to the veggie tray and fill up your plate with as many vegetables available!
2.Add Ten Minutes: Each week, between now and New Years, I want you to add 10 minutes to your daily walking time. Just ten more minutes. The slight increase from week to week will hardly be noticeable, but the extra fat burn will pay off nicely. Use these extra ten minutes to do a little mindset training while you’re at it - listen to a guided meditation, a quick podcast, or your favorite “feel good” music! A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. At C4FIT, we encourage our members to get out for a 30-minute walk at least 5x per week outside of the gym - ensuring extra calorie burn, even outside of the facility.
3. Double up on Water: Not only will staying extra hydrated help your skin to have a healthy glow, it will also speed up your fat loss efforts. Most of us are walking around in a state of chronic dehydration, which contributes to fatigue, stubborn weight gain and constipation. By drinking more water throughout the day, and by limiting your intake of caffeinated beverages, you’ll become healthier and more radiant. At C4FIT, we recommend half your body weight in ounces - daily!
4. Eat Low Carb (after 4pm): One of the easiest ways to maintain the inches around your waist before the holidays is to eat low carb after 4pm each day. This means eating dinners that are centered around salads, vegetables, and protein rather than breads and pastas. Don’t cut carbs completely - as they do provide energy and nutrients to the body - simply shift to consuming for breakfast or lunch, and give low carb dinners a try. Bonus tip - this will also lead to more restful sleep! Sleep is an essential tool in recovery and weight loss efforts.
5. Schedule Your Workouts in Advance: The holiday season is BUSY, family time, corporate parties, end of the year celebrations - looking at the calendar can be a bit overwhelming. In advance of the holiday season, sit down and review your calendar - think of your workouts like appointments. You wouldn’t skip an important Dr. Appointment or a meeting with your boss during this time, so why skip your workouts? Shoot for 3 - 5 workouts per week, and schedule them now!!! Put them in your calendar so you’re more likely to ensure they happen. Don’t let the schedule deter your goals! At C4FIT we recommend scheduling all workouts in advance via the reservation app, and syncing directly to your calendar.
We know you have the potential to maintain your health, stay on track with your goals, and heck - even lose a few pounds over the holidays... nail these 5 habits weekly and enjoy the time spent with family and friends throughout.
If you’re needing accountability before the start of the new year - reach out to see how our coaches at C4FIT located in Bay Park (San Diego) can encourage you daily, to ensure the New Years Resolutions start TODAY!