3 Tips To Keep the Weight Off During the Holiday Season

As we transition to boot season, back into our leggings and cute sweaters, and of course, our favorite warm beverages, there is one thing that tends to fall by the wayside. With the cooler weather, we tend to slack on our fitness goals. With the holidays kicking off soon, many may think there’s no reason to stick to your plan. After all, we have survived a pandemic and maintained our new normal as much as we can. Why bother?

Fall also kicks off the highest calorie months of the year. Football games, Halloween, and Thanksgiving are paths to sugary, salty, and high-fat snack foods, which are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor. In 2009, Americans spent $7.1 billion on potato chips, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, much of which was consumed during fall months.

In a 2000 study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, researchers looked at the weight and overall health of 195 men and women over the course of six months. On average, each person gained 1.05 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. (Livestrong.com)

That one pound can increase your risk for serious conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Here are some tips that can help you remain on track during the cooler months:

1. Set a goal. During the fall months, many organizations host theme walks and runs. These are great opportunities to help the community and create fitness goals. Setting the goal increases your likelihood that you’ll stick with it. Also, consider recruiting friends to join you. Having family and friends supporting you will hold you accountable.
   

2. Remain hydrated. We tend to feel less thirsty during the cooler temperatures or more inclined to grab a warm beverage. After all, who can resist a good cup of hot chocolate? Drinking water will aid in exercise recovery and appetite control.

3. Limit holiday sweets. According to the National Institutes of Health, on average, non-

obese adults gain about a pound a year around the holidays. In addition to creating unhealthy habits, accumulation of this weight over time can lead to obesity. Be sure to pack lots of healthy snacks to munch on throughout the day to help deter you from grazing on sweets that pop up in the office, at home, or at holiday parties.

Fitfully yours!

Beverly K. Johnson

About Coach Beverly K. Johnson

Beverly K. Johnson is a motivational life coach, fitness trainer, and “girlfriend of authority”. As the CEO of Genesys Fitness, Coach Bev believes self-care takes priority over caring for others because it is in caring for ourselves that we make the best caregivers. She believes that by helping women rediscover who they are after suffering a loss, they will be empowered to become their ideal self – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Coach Bev also hosts a fitness and health segment “Fit & Fierce” and has been published in Sheen Magazine, SwagHer Magazine, and several other publications.

www.beverlykjohnson.com

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