3 simple ways to find your middle this holiday season

Excited to head into the holidays? Or are visions of sugar plums NOT dancing in your head? Whatever you’re feeling today, no matter where you’re at, we’ve got you covered! With just a smidge of planning and a dash of follow-through, here are three simple and effective ways to stay active AND keep your gains during the holiday season.

1. Ready to burn?

No lie: these High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts burn more calories than a 3-mile run. Research shows that you can burn around 115 calories for each mile run. Yet many of us suffer from injuries or other health concerns that make it difficult to run, which is why these HIIT workouts are a great way to actually burn more calories than that 3-mile run.

These routines actually shock your system—in a good way—with small bursts of energy that force your metabolism to move even faster. Next time you’re looking for a quick burn, surprise your body by mixing up these different moves:

The 60-45-30 Workout

60 seconds Burpees

10 seconds rest

45 seconds Jump Lunges with Arm Swings

10 seconds rest

30 seconds Mountain Climbers

10 seconds rest

x 3

Or Try This Variation

60 seconds Burpees with Tricep Push-Up

10 seconds rest

45 seconds Skaters

10 seconds rest

30 seconds Plank Jacks

10 seconds rest

x 3

2. Plan Your Indulgences

Don’t turn the holidays into weeks or months of bingeing. Limit holiday feasts to the actual holidays, or one day per week depending on your weight/fat loss goals. Opportunities to indulge throughout the week—whether at an office party or girls’ night out—will arise, but choose to tell yourself you’ll have it later on that special holiday or occasion.

3. Enjoy the Delicacies of the Season

Enjoy the holidays and don’t stress about your weight or food. Remember to balance your eating and exercising just as you do any other day. Doing so will go a long way in helping you enjoy the holiday season and in the long run, your body will thank you! One trick of the trade I find especially useful during the holidays is waving calories. Check it out here.

As we navigate the holidays, it can be a lot to handle. Despite our good intentions, we may fall off the wagon, have a few too many cookies or eat ourselves sick at some point along the journey. Don’t beat yourself up over it! Rather we can move forward and focus on healthy choices in the present moment. In fact, here are some positive statements we can tell ourselves after an encounter with overindulgence:

1. Perfection is not reality.

2. I forgive myself and will not dwell on the past.

3. I choose to move forward and try again.

4. I will make better food choices and avoid stress-related foods.

5. My fallback plan is to return to my Thrive meals and snacks.

So let’s jump all in this holiday season and practice balance and moderation. Don’t binge and don’t deprive yourself. Instead, bring it to the middle. You won’t regret it!

Happy Holidays!