Don’t gain that holiday weight

 

Healthy December Tips

1. You don’t have to overhaul your entire pantry—small changes can make a big difference the next time you step on that scale, EVEN during the holidays ! Throw some wheat germ or ground flaxseed into your pancake mix. Add lots of veggies to your homemade pizza.
2. Drink water!! In between meals and snacks water is the best and easiest way to hydrate your body. (Have you ever taken a look at the ingredients on those sports drink bottles? Ew.. I don’t even know what the heck some of that is!)
3. Take some sugar out of your morning coffee if you know you will be indulging in sweets later on in the day.
4. Snack on healthy little tidbits such as almonds, walnuts, celery, carrots or fresh fruit.
5. Chew your food well. Digestion begins the second you start chewing, help your body along and you might just notice you eat less too.
6. December is a fantastic time to get back to the gym. Yep, I said it. Most people who have fallen off the fitness wagon think about January and the New Year. But think about this…the gym is generally not crazy in December and you can use the next 21 days to form a perfectly good habit. January is crazy time at any gym. It can be discouraging trying to get back in the swing of things when the treadmills are all taken or you have to wait 20 minutes for a weight machine.
7. December is chock full of office parties, home parties, and people just meeting up for a drink. Eat a snack/small meal before going to your shindig. Then when you get there, you can feel free to enjoy a cocktail and good conversation with a friend, network with colleagues, or just relax and the food floating around on fancy dishes won’t be the focus.
8. Start you day with a vitamin packed smoothie. Grab your blender and chuck some frozen fruit, water, ice, a wee bit of plain yogurt and maybe a even a kale leaf or two and put turn it on!  People who start their morning this way tend to continue making healthy choices for themselves throughout the day.

Finally, one of the best things that you can do for yourself is to be surrounded by people who are supportive of your choices. Make friends at the gym.  Talk about healthy recipes with your family, even the kids.  Do one active thing each day to get your body moving.  Hire a health coach who can support you in figuring out what your health and fitness goals are.  Enjoy December and don’t put off your health until January 1. Begin it NOW.