As much as my weight and fitness are important, I always treat myself through the holidays. By accepting that this is a special time and that there are treats and exceptions all over the place, I work hard to find a balance between enjoying the traditions and overcoming the inclination to fall victim to lazy behaviors and overeating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For many years, I always told myself that I would resist all those holiday favorites from fatty meals to sugary desserts, and that way, I wouldn\u2019t gain weight. Unfortunately, that never worked. After all, if I\u2019m not taking part in the food, I\u2019m missing out on a big part of the festivities! I love the food!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That always lead me to end up giving up on my efforts not to eat badly, inevitably causing me to overeat until I gained weight and felt guilty about it\u2026leading to failed New Year\u2019s resolutions, but that\u2019s another story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the last few years, I\u2019ve found a way better way to make sure I always feel like I\u2019m getting holiday treats, but without having to buy bigger clothes at the end of it. It\u2019s actually so simple and obvious that I\u2019m surprised that I went so long without doing this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the three ways I treat myself during the holidays without gaining weight or losing my fitness progress:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the best ways to make sure you won\u2019t overeat is \u2013 shockingly enough \u2013 to eat! If I know I\u2019m going to be headed to a dinner where lots of hors d\u2019oeuvres and heavy dishes will be served, I make sure I have a huge salad, first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even before I head out the door, I eat a massive salad of baby spinach and baby kale, carrots, strawberries and lots of other great veggies and berries I love. That way, when I arrive at the celebration, I\u2019m not thinking with my stomach. I\u2019m somewhat satisfied already. This gives me the chance to have a little taste of all the dishes, without overdoing it. I get all the flavor enjoyment without the bloated, guilt-ridden feelings afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I absolutely love to dance. So, when I\u2019m headed to a party where there\u2019s dancing, I hit the dance floor and think of it as the best cardio I\u2019ll get throughout the entire winter season. In fact, I typically make sure to bring a pair of flats in my purse to any party where I\u2019m not sure whether or not there will be dancing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That way, I never have an excuse to remain at my table simply because of my footwear. If there isn\u2019t any dancing, I make sure to go for a brisk walk that day, instead. I find that it gives me more energy<\/a> so that I won\u2019t feel drained at the party. This lets me enjoy myself more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the busy holiday season, I make time for myself every single day. Every. Single. Day. It\u2019s not a lot of time. It\u2019s often only about 15 minutes in the evening, but that time is mine. I use the time to paint my toenails, give my body an exfoliating scrub, relax with a skin hydrating mask and a cooling eye gel pack, or just sink into a warm bathtub with some dead sea salt and hydrating oils to ease my muscles all over. I make a priority of this home spa<\/a> time because it helps to keep me happy (and sane) so I don\u2019t feel the need to fall back on other treats that will set me back from my goals (as much).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As much as my weight and fitness are important, I always treat myself through the holidays. By accepting that this is a special time and that there are treats and exceptions all over the place, I work hard to find a balance between enjoying the traditions and overcoming the inclination to fall victim to lazy behaviors and overeating. <\/p>\n3 – I Home Spa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n