Three Easy Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

As we go into the holidays, it is REALLY hard not to gain a few pounds here and there.  When you combine the busy schedule, the lack of workouts, the dinners out, the parties, and the cocktails – it’s easy just to completely lose control between Thanksgiving and New Year’s!

At Fit in 60 Pilates and Barre, and really any fitness location, it is amazing how many people show up in January.  They come in and say, “I’m so frustrated.  My pants don’t fit.  I feel bloated.”

These clients who are normally so good about their routine – but for the last month of the year, they just can’t keep the routine together!

So, for those struggling with their weight and routine – here are three super simple things that you can do to help control your weight during this crazy time of year!

1.  Skip the All or Nothing Mindset

Rather than having an all or nothing mindset – allow each action to stand on its own.  One thing I see so frequently is that a client feels like they are busy and don’t have time to work out, so they stop eating well.  Or maybe the day started off with a cinnamon roll brunch with friends, that leaves you fatigued and uninterested in your workout.  Don’t allow one rough decision to ruin all the other decisions!!  If you miss a workout – just try to make up for it with a super healthy lunch or a big bowl of soup and salad for dinner.  Don’t beat yourself up about it – just do what you can with today and make up for it tomorrow!

2.  Get a 5 Minute Workout (or a few of them)

We have often been told that you need to work out for 30 minutes for the workout to really even matter.  That is SO not true!  One of the times that I was the most fit was when I still lived in Indiana – but would do little five minute workouts at my desk.  Even before I knew what barre was – I would take little 3-5 minute breaks just to wake myself up.  Each morning, each lunch break, and each afternoon before I left – I would do first position plies in counts of 20-50 then go back to what I was doing!  These little bursts of movement won’t necessarily burn a ton of calories – but that’s ok.  You are keeping the muscles firm and strong.  Throw on some clothes and go for a walk – even if it’s a brisk walk through a shopping mall!  Go do something that just gets your body moving!  You’ll feel better – in addition to burning a few extra calories!

3.  Have a Snack BEFORE You Go to Your Party!

I don’t know about you. But sometimes I literally go from not hungry at all to so hungry that I feel like I want to eat my arm!  And sometimes it happens so quickly!  But when you go to a party, whether you are hungry or not, often the party food looks so good and yummy!  If you are hungry, you likely have no willpower to say no to the dips, the eggnog, the pies, the cakes, and the alcohol.  So before you leave the house – have a huge salad, some veggies, or a bowl of broth based soup.  This way you won’t walk straight to the buffet table and fill up on a huge plate of high calorie foods.

So, as we go into the holidays, keep in mind that you do not HAVE to gain any holiday weight.  Implement our three quick tips.  They are easy things that you can do to take great care of yourself and start out the month of January without regrets!
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Originally from the Midwest, Amy moved to San Diego in 2001. A graduate of Valparaiso University, Amy had been a Financial Advisor since 1997. When Amy began taking Pilates with her neighbor Wendy, in 2006, she fell in love with the method and benefits of the program and knew she wanted to help others achieve their fitness goals. It was not until Amy took her first barre class that she discovered her true passion for fitness. She loved the challenge and energy of each class. And more importantly, she was excited by the results as her body became more toned than through any other workout routine she had tried in the past. Amy would be one of the best testimonials for Fit in 60 Pilates and Barre. In less than a month’s time, attending 4-5 classes a week, Amy went from a size 10/12 to a size 6. She came home one day and told her husband, Mike that “if every girl knew this, every girl would do it.” Amy is passionate about getting to know her clients and provide modifications and corrections to challenge every client, while making classes as safe as possible. Amy lives in Carlsbad with her husband, Mike, and her dog Emma. She loves what she does, and is thrilled to present the Fit in 60 workout to Carlsbad and Carmel Valley and is eager to help women look and feel great!