Staying on Track for Healthy Holidays

Healthy Holidays

I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!

3 key components to healthy weight management are setting short and long term goals, a structured schedule, and discipline.  Yet when it comes to the holidays, all of those factors are put to the test.  Here are 5 reasons why people tend to gain weight around the holidays and what to do to ensure you are not one of them.

Lack of a short-term goal.

Most people in the Carmel Valley San Diego community, have a vision of how they want to look come summer time turning heads in a swimsuit or wearing a sleeveless shirt.  This goal keeps people in the gym and desserts off the plate.  Yet around the holidays, people tend to fall to the temptations of Halloween Candy and Holiday desserts and forget the hard work it took to attain that body and how quick they can gain the weight back when they revert back to bad habits.

Lack of a schedule.

Normal routines are out the window come holiday time.  Kids are home from school and need to be entertained.  Instead of going to the gym in the afternoon, women are spending the days out and about and are too exhausted to exercise when they get home.

Increase in Social Events.

Holiday buffets replace portioned dinners at home.  High fat and starch appetizers are abundant and people always save room for the wide array of high sugar and high fat decadent desserts.  Moreover, there is an increase in alcohol consumption during the holidays.

Decrease in exercise.

Eating poorly and lack of short term goals make it difficult to keep on track with fitness.  Also, the lack of schedule makes exercise an afterthought that you never get around to during the busy day.

Decrease in sleep.

Social gatherings keep people out later at night with alcohol or caffeine keeping them awake.  Also, the increased alcohol intake decreases the quality of sleep during the holiday times.

Here’s what you need to do to make sure you are not a statistic:

1. Set goals throughout the holidays.  Instead of setting a New Year’s resolution you know you’ll never keep, set a goal to be looking good come New Years.  Also, adjusting your mindset to year round health and wellness from simply looking good in a bikini in June will make sticking to a plan more favorable.
2. Schedule your health everyday.  While spontaneous social gatherings are bound to happen during the holidays, scheduling your workout and a loose idea of what and when you are going to eat for the day will help maintain that structure.
3. Eat before you go out and bring healthy snacks with you.  If you know you are going to a big gathering, eat something healthy before you go.  Snack on the veggie platter that YOU bring to the gathering.  Also, if you are going to be drinking alcohol when your out, make sure you drink 2 glasses of water for every one alcoholic beverage you drink.  This will dramatically decrease both your alcohol consumption and the amount of sugar you ingest.
4. Exercise first thing in the AM.  Get your workout done in the early morning before your daily chaos begins.  This way you won’t need to stop what you are doing to race over to the gym during the day.
5. Get your 8 hours of quality sleep.  Begin to unwind no later than 9 PM.  Sleep deprivation throws your hormones out of balance and Scientists have found that sleep deprivation increases levels of Ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone and decreases levels Leptin, considered a satiety or fullness hormone.  The effects may lead to overeating and weight gain.

 

 

Kyle Brown is a health and nutrition expert whose portfolio includes everything from leading workshops for Fortune 500 companies and publishing nutrition articles in top-ranked fitness journals, to training celebrity clientele –from pro athletes to CEOs to multi-platinum recording artists. In 2010 and 2011, Kyle was voted San Diego’s Best Personal Trainer by the readers of The San Diego Union Tribune and Signonsandiego.com. Kyle is the CEO and the creator of FIT 365®, an all-natural, complete low-calorie meal in a shake. Kyle is also the author of the forthcoming book Secrets of a Champion.  Kyle is a Carmel Valley San Diego resident and business-owner.