A Team Fitness America Segment Of Eating And The Holiday Buldge

Dec. 19, 2010 - PRLog -- Every holiday we declare that we will try to eat healthy throughout the month of December, but most of us give up even before Thanksgiving. The office cookies, the after work parties, the food gifts from clients, the kid’s Christmas events, and then our own family celebrations all add up in calories. Thoughts of sugar plums literally dance in our heads all week and the entire concept of eating healthy goes right out the window.

Then we get smart and make a deal with ourselves. We declare that we can eat unhealthy for the next few weeks (we justify it by saying it is a holiday after all and we do work hard all year) but after the first of the year we promise to embark on a health and fitness plan. Every year we make the same promise and somewhere around February and March we go right back into the bad habits. We justify the bad eating again with the excuse that it is Easter or Spring and then Mothers day or summer. So how can we break that vicious cycle of never really getting our bad habits under control?

7 Team Fitness America ways to stop the holiday buldge from overtaking your life:

1. When you know you have a Christmas party to go to, eat before you go. If you are full you will be less likely to scarf down the appetizers and main entrée. Eat sparingly or just have a few appetizers and a small dessert, that way you do not offend your guests but still get to enjoy the tastes of the evening. We all know whom the person is that stands next to the food all night and has to try everything. Focus on not being that person and just opt to taste the different foods and not eat a full meal.

2. Hire a personal trainer now. That is right, before the holidays. Start working out now and you will begin to feel and see the results so when you reach for that eggnog you will remember how hard you worked out and how much harder you need to work out tomorrow just to burn off those empty calories. If you know you have to be held accountable with a personal trainer as well you will be less likely to over indulge knowing that he or she will ask you to fess up tomorrow when you see them.

3. Don’t eat what the kids eat. They have a high metabolism and sometimes it seems easy to just serve yourself a plate of macaroni and cheese or a handful of chicken nuggets at lunch and not eat a healthy meal because you are pressed for time. Plan your meals and know where you will be when hunger strikes. If you have a day of shopping planned, add in your favorite healthy spot to eat. It will give you something to look forward to plus you won’t blow your entire day of calories on one fast food burger and fries. If you have to speed shop and wrap and really don’t have time for a meal, skip the fast food joints and grab a protein bar. Convenience stores, gas stations and even Walmart or Target you are probably shopping in will sell them as a quick solution to solve your hunger issue.

4. Realize that high calorie, high sugar and high starch foods will make you cranky. With all the shopping, wrapping, planning, entertaining, cleaning and travel you have planned, the last thing you want to be is cranky and not be able to enjoy the holidays. Eat healthy all day and allot for that one bad thing you will have out at a party or at work.

5. Do a holiday cookie bake and give most of them away. This way you and the kids can enjoy the art and tradition of holiday baking but give most as gifts or take them into work for others to enjoy as well. Having tons of cakes and cookies lying around the house is not helpful if you want to stick to a diet. You can also bake and donate it to the local homeless shelter as well.

6. Keep healthy snacks and sugar free/fat free desserts on hand. If you want to make a big dessert for the family do so but make a healthy variety as well. There are tons of fat free cheesecake and low fat or sugar free cake recipes online. Find one and try it out. If you have the girls over for a holiday get together serve both. You will be surprised at how many people will try a low fat or sugar free dessert over a full fat variety if it is offered.

7. If you are hosting dinner at your place, make just enough holiday foods for the party and a few leftovers. Send home the cookies, cakes and unhealthy foods with the guests and leave the salads and lean meats for you for lunch and snacks the next day.

Most of all, start thinking healthy now and you will not overeat and indulge all week.

For more information about Team Fitness America, visit http://www.teamfitnessamerica.com.

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Team Fitness America offers a wide variety of home based fitness services, such as personal trainers, yoga instruction, Pilates programs, bridal fitness, weight loss, and much more. Team Fitness America's personal trainers are all nationally certified.