Brace Yourselves The Holidays Are Coming

It’s mid-October ya’ll. Just let that breathe over you for a moment… what the heck?? Today in Texas there is no sign of the anticipated Fall season and I am again, sporting shorts and a tank. That’s not a bad thing… it’s just…some brisk air would feel festive to honor the new season.

Soon, ghosts, goblins, Superheroes and other assorted creatures will be arriving on your doorstep mooching free candy.

Speaking of candy…. I was wandering down the aisle in the store the other day…one of my daily trips… and realized I had quick tripped it up the Halloween candy aisle.

I admit to still feeling like a kid… in awe of that much candy all in one handy place. Seriously.

You do understand don’t you, that candy companies have us firmly in their grips now through Easter, don’t you ? You will no sooner load up on cheap half price Halloween candy that the aisles will be filled with Christmas, and thus the merry-go-round starts.

Like, why can’t we use left over Halloween candy in the Christmas stockings?? Haha isn’t chocolate, chocolate ? 😛

Alright, where I’m going with this… we are moving full speed into the “holiday season” and I say that meaning everything that captures now through New Years Day.

And I want to address a common comment that I hear this time of year when it comes to weight loss.

Ready?

” I need to lose weight, but now we’re in the holidays so I won’t worry about starting until January”

No. Just no.

Don’t have that mentality.

I will remind you I started on my journey in October and went through all major holidays, enjoying things, faithfully exercising, not feeling deprived at all, and had lost 22 lbs by mid-January. It feels amazing every single year after Christmas and all the weight loss garbage is in every aisle I stumble into to know that I’m just doing what I’ve been doing… like never miss a beat moving from holiday festivities to staying in forward motion with my health and fitness journey.

It can be done.

So it might be a little early to offer some holiday survival tips but hey, why not ? I’ll probably post again when we’re more into the.. thick… of things… 😉

Ideas, tips and suggestions I’ve found to be helpful

First and most important, every day is not party day. Just because it’s November or December doesn’t mean you need to over eat or eat to much junky stuff every day.

Remember alcohol packs a whopping amount of liquid calories. Those count.

Yes, there will be parties. Learn to be selective and picky when you are encountering the feeding tables. Take only the things you really love, take small amounts ( at a buffet a plate fills up fast!) If you don’t really love it, leave it behind.

Add plenty of veggies onto your plate to off set the other stuff. You don’t need lots of that creamy dippy stuff either…

Make water your friend.

Desserts…same theory applies.

I love to bake. I bake like a wild woman. Because I don’t eat lots of sugar anymore a little goes a long way with me and too much leaves me feeling yucky so it keeps me in check. I do however allow myself a cookie or two along the way. It’s all I need. If you enjoy baking, set a limit for yourself and stick to it.

When it comes to the family meals for the “big” days.. I eat whatever I want. However, as per suggestion above, I am selective and eat my most favorite things. I can’t stand feeling “over full” so even on holidays I try and stop myself before I get there. Besides, it gives me room to graze later haha 😉

I never wear loose or stretchy clothes. Being in clothes that are more fitted to me makes me mindful of myself.

Yes, I get there will be days that it seems like you just eat all….stupid…day…long. That’s one day… cut your losses…pick it up and get back on track.

Exercise. You’ve got the time. The holiday season can get stressful, making time for yourself for an activity you enjoy is good for you mentally AND physically. The past several years I’ve gotten up early on Thanksgiving morning and gone for an hour sunrise run. It clears my head, allows me to think on my blessings and yeah, makes me feel good about eating a little pie haha

Careful moderation through out the celebratory season will allow you to enjoy yourself, even drop a few pounds, and come into the New Year already feeling victorious.

You don’t need to wait for January to get started. You can do it right now.

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Sassyfitnesschick

8 years ago I began what I now refer to as my "journey into lifestyle fitness". After a yearly check in with my Dr he said I looked "really good on paper, but I might consider losing a few pounds" I wasn't offended... I knew I needed to but it seemed like to much work at the time. In that year we had adopted 2 girls out of foster care, plus caring for my 3 sons & husband sort of left me on the back burner taking care of "me". I told him I "used to" walk & he encouraged me to at least get back to that. I left his office that day, started, & never quit. As time moved on my walks increased in length & speed. I started mingling some jogging into it...then after more time some short sprints. One day I realized I was doing more running than anything else. I learned to run longer and farther. I constantly challenged myself to do more. I realized I had turned into a runner & was loving it. I have since run 6 half marathons, 2 full marathons, and my first 50K scheduled for March 1,2015. Not bad for a girl who just started off walking not quite 2 miles! My body was now beginning to show the results of my work as weight & inches dropped off. I began to add in boxing & weights on days I wasn't running. Over time as the fat left, my new muscles were waiting underneath =) Obviously, I also made some food changes. Nothing drastic..just started eating less and trying to eat better.. I hated diets and how they made me feel....deprived & left out of all the fun...so adjusting & eating less of what I liked and moving more.. I found myself getting in decent physical shape. It began my thinking of lifestyle and not "dieting". As I got stronger,healthier & more fit it was an easier process to "let go" of some of the foods I had enjoyed. I had more energy, strength and confidence in what I could do. It was empowering. It made me realize that I probably wasn't the only one who wanted to lose weight, be healthy & strong but not always be on some sort of "diet". Maybe my journey & what I had learned & been doing might possibly help others to success in their lives... I consider myself to be rather normal and ordinary ( meaning I haven't always been into fitness and healthy eating) it has been a steady, daily, learned process with good days and bad days and my hope is that you too, will see the greatness in you, and that you have the ability and power to change and do anything you put your mind to. If you want change, you can make it happen. It's just one day at a time, making smart moves and better choices, and before you know it, things are happening. Get started on your journey, really, what do you have to lose ? And yet, so much to gain =) View all posts by Sassyfitnesschick

7 thoughts on “Brace Yourselves The Holidays Are Coming”

Luckily this avalanche of holidays isn’t common in my coutry.

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Sassyfitnesschick says:

October 15, 2015 at 10:29 am

Tell me more… where are you ? And I did think about that typing this post that there would be parts of the world that didn’t have to deal with it. I think that could almost be…refreshing….

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1. Siim Land says:
  
  October 15, 2015 at 11:30 am
  
  I’m from Estonia. We aren’t very religious so our holiday season consists of only Christmas and New Years. So only from the end of December until 1st of January. Nothing preceeding either like Thanksgivin.
  
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2. Sassyfitnesschick says:
  
  October 15, 2015 at 5:59 pm
  
  Wow… well now I had to go look up your country and see where you are in the world =) Ah… that sounds almost refreshing…although I do enjoy Thanksgiving 😉
  
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The candy is everywhere…..My biggest downfall has been the Pumpkin Pie Almonds from Costco. Someone set a bag in the breakroom so I grabbed a handful and they’re so delicious I wanted to grab more but before I did I forced myself to check the sugar content then decided my one little handful was more than enough. It’s so tough. This is my first year working in an office and it seems like food is everywhere, constantly.

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