Holiday Battle Plan? Engage!

It's the most dangerous time....of the year......

That's right: holiday food time.  Halloween candy is on the shelves and Christmas goodies will be marching close behind to take their place faster than you can say, "boo!"  So that means it is time to make that holiday food plan.  To help, I'll be doling out Healthy Heather's Holiday Hints a few at a time.  Ready?

Here's the first few:

1. Start eating clean NOW! (duh, did anyone see that coming?) In a nutshell, eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) These types of food include man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, white bread, and any other ingredients that are unnecessary. An easy way to remember if a food is clean is: “if man made it, don’t eat it.”  And if your mom made it with a pound of butter cause that's how you liked it as a kid, still don't eat it. :)


2. Find time for (more) exercise. Fall and winter weather is perfect for walking, running, and being outside. To keep holiday pounds at bay, increase your exercise by about 30 minutes of vigorous cardio a day, or begin a walking program. The extra calories burned won’t completely void out a glass (or four) of eggnog, though, so be honest about how much activity you’re getting.


3. Tell everyone around you about your goal. You’ve heard that a goal without a plan is just a wish, right? Well a plan without ACTION is lunacy! Tell everyone you know about your great, fabulous plan to eat clean and not gain weight during the holidays. Knowing that eyes are on you to be the example will make you think twice before taking a second cookie.  While you're at it, recruit a few friends to join you and keep each other motivated.  Remember, the holidays are a lot more fun when you aren't preoccupied with how you're going to lose the weight you gained from "fun food."

You don’t have to be perfect during the holidays. You just have to try.  :)  Good luck, and good day!