This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.
Can you believe that it is that time of year again?The holidays are right around the corner and that means lots of delicious food and less time to exercise! And that can lead to weight gain. There has got to be a way to enjoy the holidays and also stick to your exercise program. RIGHT? Right!
Here are some suggestions:
*Set realistic goals: It might be unrealistic for you to do 1 hour of cardio 5 days a week during the holidays. You might be like me and have an "all or nothing" type attitude. I say to myself, "If I can't get my hour of cardio in, then I'm just not going to do any." That's why it may be better to set a goal of 20 minutes of high intensity cardio 5 days and week instead of an whole hour. It's much easier to find 20 minutes than a hour. If you are feeling extra energetic you can always add more minutes to your workout!
*Remember the benefits of exercise: You know how you feel after a good workout? Empowered, strong, beautiful, confident. How do you feel when you don't exercise? Frumpy, guilty, weak, tired. During the holidays you want to feel great and look great when you are with family and friends. Exercise and proper hydration gives you a healthy glow and an inner confidence that is so attractive. Give yourself more energy during the holidays by exercising!
*Join forces with a friend: A few weeks ago, a couple friends from church and I, decided to be accountability partners. Every Friday we text our weight to each other and comment on how we did that week with our eating and such. That has been a great help for me. It is always a nice for me to have a partner in this, my greatest battle! Get a friend, spouse or family member with whom you can go for walks, go to the gym or just report to everyday. Inspire each other to stay fit during the holidays!
*Who needs a treadmill? Play outside: There are some really fun things that you can do out in the cold that burn a ton of calories!!! Join in the Turkey Bowl football game, ice skate, run up and down the hill while sledding with the kids, have a snowball fight, shovel snow, go cross country skiing or snowshoeing. Look for fun traditions that will keep your family fit!
*LAUGH: What did you expect from a post sponsored by Laughing Cow Cheese! :) But seriously....Studies have been done on this topic and it has been shown that the body burns up to 20% more calories when having a good belly laugh! Watch a fun comedy together, play cards or a board game together. Shed the stress and a few more calories along the way.
Hopefully some of these ideas will help you (and me) stick to an exercise program during the holidays. But most importantly....remember to have fun, relax and enjoy the people you love!
How do you stick to your exercise program during the holidays? Leave a comment and you will be entered to win a $150 Visa gift card from Laughing Cow! Please keep your comments G-rated as any profanity or offensive content will automatically disqualify you from sweepstakes entry. Contest runs from 11/15-12/5/10.
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55 comments:
I keep motivated by looking at past pictures where I was at a less than ideal weight. There is nothing like it to get my butt up off the couch.
My husband and I are each other's motivators to exercise together each morning and he doesn't give me much of a break, holiday or not. It's also easier to keep an exercise schedule when our winters are like summer for most places and we can still go outside because the weather is in the mid-70s. Besides morning exercises I try to bike or walk everywhere.
I keep a food diary and make sure to keep active during the holidays.
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
My dogs never let me forget to walk them. They are my motivation, even when it's 20 below - I'm out there walking!
I stick to my program by signing up for races, such as a Thanksgiving Day 10K. Can't slack with that on the horizon!
I like to exercise with my family and friends. When you're having fun, it doesnt feel like exercise. We especially love ZUMBA! its pretty much just dancing and burning a ton of calories :)
alayna_baker@hotmail.com
We always go the park, and I make it a habit to walk because my family has a history of diabetes and I love watching my daughter walk with me
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweeted
http://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/5138826758455296
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I set my alarm clock early early, before my kids get up so I have time to myself to hop on the treadmill. It's the only time of the day that I have "me" time... so I make it a priority.
I have to eat small meals throughout the day and not starve in order to pig out on those amazing holiday foods. For me, I have health issues that limit physical activity AND LOW blood sugar issues, so I have to be REALLY smart about the way I use food and not make it a feeding frenzy just because "it's a holiday" and OK to go hog wild! (Oink Oink!) NOT THIS YEAR! I am getting older (just hit 50 this month) and have noticed the changes in metabolism as you age...it is a PAIN to manage your meals instead of letting meals govern you, but great health management means WORK and planning ahead!
also tweeted!
ejrichter60 at gmail dot com
http://twitter.com/2sic2mooov/status/5153818996117504
I will breakdown my workout into 10-15 minute segments and can stagger them throughout the day.
Also, for weightlifting, I will switch to moves that target two muscle groups in one move. That shaves off a lot of time.
sylvieanddudes@yahoo.com
I stick to an exercise routine and try to fill up on proteins, fruits and vegetables. I also drink water. I left myself sample some of the goodies, especially the egg nog so I don't feel deprived.
s2s2 at comcast dot net
http://twitter.com/susan1215/status/6001306929991680
s2s2 at comcast dot net
I watch my favorite shoes while doing the treadmill....so when I actually TRY to sit down to watch tv i feel guilty if i'm not on the treadmill :)
Juliannajones@gmail.com
Well, first I really have to get one but I don't think I will start one until after the holidays. I do drink lots of water.
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
Tweeted here too
http://twitter.com/gmissycat/status/6441774952222722
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
My tip is to enjoy the holidays...but exercise just a bit more, and drink a little more water:-) Thanks for the fantastic giveaway.
libneas[at]aol][dot]com
I RECOMMEND WRITING DOWN/ RECORDING THE CALORIES IN WHAT YOU EAT. IT HELPS TO "STICK" TO A DIET kytah00@yahoo.com
2ND ENTRY TWEET http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/6483401410351104
kytah00@yahoo.com
I try to take advantage of the running around we do and park a little farther out, walk a little faster and make a few more trips around the mall. I also try to keep snacks with me so I don't get too hungry and binge on the kinds of food I don't need.
huntandride@hotmail.com
I don't realy exercise, but I do stay on the weight watcher Point system
marybug2@yahoo.com
I tweeted your giveaway
marybug2 at yahoo.com
During the holidays--and year-round--I take the stairs whenever possible. At home I use the upstairs bathroom each time I need to go. This simple tip requires no gym membership or special equipment, and it helps keep me fit.
Tweeted you!
http://twitter.com/Ida_Sessions/status/6538737433452545
Be consistent with exercising!
I plan it into my day so there's no negotiating. Schedule it in just like you would for any other meeting or appointment.
I stick to my exercise routine by remembering how much better I feel once I am done! I really feel more energized!
nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net
tweeted: http://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/6898471642595328
nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net
Try to use common sense when eating and drink plenty of water.
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com
Tweet: http://twitter.com/cjwallace43/status/6958546310668288
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com
My friends and I are in contest mode. We have a point system for healthy eating and activities. There is nothing like losing a point for a naughty indulgence (or gaining one for a healthy one). We do have some free days but boy-oh-boy does the competition drive us on the "game on" days. Why is it that I won't avoid the bad stuff and eat the good stuff through the holidays but give me a little point on a sheet and I will make amazingly great choices? The winner will collect the total prize money. We all put in $20. Last time I did this I lost 15 pounds, increased my endurance, served healthier meals to my family, got better rest, drank more water and had a blast.
My dog doesn't know it's the holidays! She still expects play time outside, so she is a great motivator. In addition, my son is almost 8 months old and getting more active by the day. Together, they keep me moving!
I am starting a Fit Club to have all my friends join in with me!
walking normally, but my kids have a bunch of the wii games that require lots of movement. those help a lot and it's something that we can do as a family!!
rebekahskitchen(at)live(dot)com
I tell myself if I make it to Jazzercise 5 times a week, by Christmas I can fit into those jeans I knowingly bought 1 size small!!
I sign up for holiday themed runs or walks. It's a great way to get those extra calories burned off, and its a wonderful family activity for my husband and two girls and I. This year for Thanksgiving we did the 5K Turkey Trot and I felt a lot better about what I ate later that day!
The best way to stay motivated to exercise and eat healthy during the Holidays is to keep weighing yourself. It's so easy to avoid the scale when you're splurging and your pants are getting tight. The thought is, "I don't want to know!" But if you weigh yourself on a regular basis, when the numbers creep up you can modify by eating better and stepping up the exercise. This way you can stay closer to your preferred weight before it gets out of control.
If I'm going to exercise, it has to be first thing in the day. By the time I'm more than an hour into the day....I've talked myself out of it and thought of 29 other things to do.
So, up and at 'em if that's my goal.
http://twitter.com/#!/won2x/status/10059229322809344
Happy Holidays.
Easy to follow, genuine advice, Sleep, regular healthy eating, hydrate, and exercise. Those are the main keys to a healthy life.
http://twitter.com/sodahoney/status/10067472078082048
I have started taking my gym clothes to work and changing before I leave for the gym--it helps motivate me to go directly to my workout instead of stopping at home where I can be easily distracted and blow off my exercise.
http://twitter.com/#!/fostertam/status/11058418131406849
I take a walk with my crazy dog and my baby in the jogging stroller. It is always a workout.
I literally walked up and down their stairs after eating Thanksgiving dinner at my relatives. You just have to make exercise a priority.
I'm not an exerciser, but my strategy for handling the holidays works pretty well for me. I know the days that there will be parties and family get togethers. I allow myself to indulge on those days, but on the remaining days, I am very strict with my intake....steering completely clear of sugar and most carbs.
My strategy is to stay healthy all year round and indulge around the holiday season. I like to work out and I tend to eat clean year round, so when the holidays roll around I don't feel bad about eating goodies.
pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com
http://twitter.com/lpauld68/status/11498139047428097
pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Pretty hard to stick to an exercise routine when you don't have one to begin with :0!! I do however enjoy the treats and realize that come new year I have to work off any extra lbs plus some so I try to keep the indulgence to a minimum...drinking lots of water and keeping busy with chores and children is what helps me!
I really just do it as I go along, saying to myself that I wont eat above 1000 calories at dinner and then I stick to it
shopgurl101 @gmail .com
tweet http://twitter.com/shopgurl/status/11625210507698176
I use the wii to dance with and stay fit and I'm not a big sweets eater so that's not really a problem. I just eat small portions of things I like so it works out pretty well.
Use an exercise that you love which will make it easier to stick with.
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/jillyrh/status/11664712525676544
Thanks!
Exercising, well this is quite a feat for me. I am massively disintegrating at a rapid pace, congestive heart failure, and this restricts me to very low exercising routines, other that the pool, which I highly recommend, and my exercise is DANCING!! It invigorates me, and helps me to stir up the energy to be somewhat in shape. I am 61 on the 22nd, and listen and dance to hip hop, good ole disco,,,,where did it go? Blessings to all that can enjoy a vigorous exercise routine, enjoy it....you all looking good!!!!
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