Happy Holidays

Starting around Thanksgiving and going right through Christmas, it always seems like the best laid fitness plans go by the wayside. We eat too much, and we aren’t quite as active, at least not in the way that we should be. The end result is that we hit the new year with a rather unpleasant overall jump in our weight. In fact, that one whole month can successfully undo what we spent the last year working towards!

So can you stay fit during the holiday season? You bet, and it isn’t as hard as you might think. Consider the following and apply them to your lifestyle.

Don’t worry about losing weight, just maintain what you have. Consider yourself ahead of the game if you can accomplish this one. Losing weight is notoriously difficult during the holidays, but if you can at least hold your ground, you’re doing okay. Even though holiday weight gain should only be about a pound, it is often 5 pounds or more for those of us who may already be struggling with a weight problem.

Eat wisely. Have a high protein snack ahead of big holiday meals, which means you will be less likely to stuff yourself at meal time.

Save the best for last. You don’t have to deprive yourself of the good stuff, but eat a few salads and veggies first before diving into the more fattening fare that usually accompanies holiday meals. This will make you less likely to binge and thus control the amount of air in that spare tire.

Cut back on what you choose at the holiday meal itself in order to save calories. If you simply must have a slice of pumpkin pie, then you should probably pass on the mashed potatoes and gravy. Choose carefully. Skipping meals altogether in order to make room for them can backfire, so make it a habit of employing some selective editing at each mealtime.

And A Merry New Year

Reward yourself for exercise. It is hard enough to work in exercise with our busy schedules, so when you are successful, then do something for you. Take care of yourself from time to time.

Stay active. Even if you cannot fit exercise into your holiday schedule, doing little things like taking stairs instead of an elevator can help get in some much needed physical activity. Every little bit helps, right?

So basically, enjoy the holiday season to the fullest, but not literally. Do those things that are fun, and that includes eating, but take the time to remain active as well, and don’t let the progress you’ve made towards your fitness goals over the last year evaporate by the time Christmas Day rolls around.

LeaseQ is one of the leading providers of fitness equipment financing and leasing options in the United States.