Get on top of getting the pounds down this holiday

November 22, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

So, this is it.

The start of holiday obesity. I mean, to be fair many of us already began with Halloween. We’d been doing well all year. Then, suddenly, our weight loss goals were crushed betwixt Twix and Mars bars and a vise made of sugary vices. But, even for those of us who managed to escape round one, there’s still the massive turkey day hurdle looming – starting tomorrow and subsequently passing the baton on to December’s relentless emerald and red drizzled confections. So, what can we do? As we’re sat there, feeling guilty for not getting out to work it off? How can we keep from falling off the fitness wagon?

Well, several things, actually.

First?

Be the one to bring the fit-friendly dishes.

(“Great dairy free spin dip, Susan. With a spritz of lemon, it’s the perfect texture for scraping into the disposal.”)

Caveat: just make sure you actually make an effort to make it taste good. Don’t give us healthy eaters a bad name. But, with all the plant based delish recipes out there, it should be easy; you’re bound to find some sort’ve fab shoo-in for the usual over-buttered stuffing-y awfulness Aunt Irma usually brings. There are so many unsaturated healthy-fat, low cal, low sugar options out there. Not only will you be helping yourself out, you’ll also be helping your fam – without them even knowing it.

Another way you can help them? By planning a post supper stroll. Why not suggest a jaunt around the block with everyone? Whether it’s right after or before the meal, it’ll do wonders for burning that tofurkey off, raise spirits (and maybe dampen the effects of the spirits Uncle Bob drank too much of with too little food).

But if you know your fam – and you know they’ll laugh at you enough to count for an ab workout, then, no worries. Just plan your workout before you meet up with them. It might sound like too much, but, really, it’s not. Whenever you need to leave, just give yourself an hour or two before that for a good half hour run (or cycle… or swim). When you do it ahead’ve time, it’s like money in the bank.

And you wanna know another thing you can do ahead? Eat. (“What???”) Yes, pre-game your eating with a high fiber, high water content, plant based snack. Why? Because, if your fam’s house is anything like mine (#ArkhamAsylum), then your mom’s probably ready for dinner a good hour after she says she’ll be anyway. And that means you’re stuck snacking on stuff you shouldn’t be munching (‘cause you came hungry). Plus, if you’re quasi full when you arrive, you won’t overstuff on any one thing.

Then, finally, if all that fails, and you’re only motivated after the fact when you can’t see the pedicure you got yesterday over today’s belly, no worries. There’s always the “at least I did something” workout you can rock from your sofa while everyone enjoys their tryptophan coma around you…

(Let’s just make sure this isn’t the only workout we’re doing all holiday, mmmkay?)

And with that, I wish you all a happy avian slaying day.

Don’t forget to give thanks to your flesh vessel by not abusing it with too much bad food!