Exercise and Holidays: 10 Ways To Stay Healthy And Fit

It's the most wonderful time of the year for some, but for others it's a time of stress. Whether you're worried about spending too much money or trying to keep up with your holiday commitments, the stress of the holidays can make you feel anything but merry.

We've made it through Thanksgiving, and as we approach the meat of the holiday season (hopefully not with tighter jeans), there are still plenty of temptations to come. Whether it's that merciless bake-happy co-worker, too many party invitations, or that mother-in-law who has never heard of fruit, even the most motivated and active person struggles with exercise lapses. Here are some tips to stay the course and come out ahead.

We still have a few weeks of busy obligations and delicious, tempting foods ahead of us. Self-control and hard work does not mean self-deprivation. You can celebrate responsibly by being mindful and accountable. Good luck!

 

Comments

[LovingFit]

05:40 PM on 12/17/2011

Holiday's are all about enjoyment, as long as you control your portions and stop eating when you are full, plus go for walks after your meals there is absolutely nothing to worry about. It always works for me like a charm.

http://www.lovingfit.com

[phatemu]

08:47 AM on 12/16/2011

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[muscle guy]

08:16 AM on 12/16/2011

its very simple, just have a taste of the not so good for you goodies, so you dont feel deprived. tell your self that in the new year, your going to be a new you, and mean it!!..........exercise, exercise..
no matter what form you chose, it will help you with your health, aging...........and provide you with good looks as well..............now isnt that worth it??

[karen lyons kalmenson]

07:46 AM on 12/16/2011

oh ms will power help me
great food abounds
my exercise?
eating it and
passing what is left
(if anything;-)
around

[zenju2]

07:36 AM on 12/16/2011

Portion control, exercise, lots of sex.

[RS]

07:48 AM on 12/16/2011

And remembering this part of "Murphy's Law":

ANYTHING GOOD IN LIFE IS EITHER ILLEGAL, IMMORAL, OR VERY FATTENING.

:-)

[Kaleidoscope1]

01:01 AM on 12/16/2011

Don't eat, and don't drink!

[karen lyons kalmenson]

07:46 AM on 12/16/2011

that sounds like "don't live" ;-0

[DrP]

10:18 PM on 12/15/2011

Since I adopted the low-carb lifestyle in 2000, I have had no problem with weight gain over the holidays. In fact, several years, including this one, I have lost weight between Thanksgiving and New Year's. The "secret" is that I never eat sugar, starch, or grains. Therefore, I don't eat the holiday junk. My diet is a lifestyle - not something that I go off or on or "cheat" on. I feel my best when I eat the way I do. Since I'm really busy this time a year, as a professional musician and teacher, I actually have less time to eat, but I'm insistent that I work out almost every day,the same as I do the rest of the year, although I don't "freak out" if I have a particularly busy day and miss a workout. Since I workout for well-being, not because it has anything to do with the myth of calories-in, calories-out, I know that a missed workout won't affect my weight.

[Capn Scott]

09:36 PM on 12/15/2011

12: Earn your meal(s). Make it a point to not eat dinner until after you've exercised for that day. It's the 'reward system', and its a good motivator.

[nah415]

04:27 PM on 12/15/2011

These are great tips and I'm definitely going to use them as well as recommend them for my patients. Exercise is good for your body, but it's also good for helping to manage the stress of the holiday season and the unrealistic expectations that often show up at this time of year. If you have difficult family members, exercising before a get together can help to keep you calm when the turkey hits the fan. Going for a walk is also a great way to disengage if family dynamics become overwhelming!

[William Anderson LMHC]

02:16 PM on 12/15/2011

Exercise is important for health, but it is not the solution to weight loss and weight control for those with a chronic weight and overeating problem, which is most of the country.

Also, it is real mistake to promote the idea of exercising to make up for what you ate. That kind of thinking has triggered a bulimic experience where many people eat too much, then exercise to make up for it, which buys them another bit to eat, for which they must exercise some more to make up for it. It's a binge/purge cycle where the exercise is the way people purge calories. Then they feel entitled to eat, eat too much, feel guilty, so they have to exercise..... There is no end to it. Not good.

Here's my article on how to have a great holiday without gaining: http://theandersonmethod.com/have-wonderful-holiday-season-without-gaining-weight/

I lost 140 lbs. 25 years ago after years of obesity and weight loss failure when I discovered the solution as a therapist in Behavior Medicine. We can learn to indulge without overindulging, and the solution is not in diets or will power. It's in psychology.

William Anderson, LMHC
Author of 'The Anderson Method - Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss'
www.TheAndersonMethod.com

[DrP]

10:20 PM on 12/15/2011

In addition, working out to make up for eating too much doesn't work since "calories-in, calories-out" is a complete myth. The human body doesn't work that way. I learned that when my careful calculations as teenager never resulted in the promised pound loss per 3500 calorie deficit. Baloney.

[William Anderson LMHC]

03:16 AM on 12/16/2011

Actually, while one can't control every element of metabolic function, the science and thermodynamics of energy balance are very reliable. I have worked with thousands of people who have suffered chronic obesity and I have never had one person not succeed in losing weight with my method, not one. I lost 140 lbs. in 1984 after 25 years of obesity and diet and exercise failure, and I have maintained my ideal body weight since, over 25 years and counting. I've taught thousands to duplicate what I did. We know how to succeed with permanent weight loss and I bring this knowledge to new people every day.

[GOODDOC1]

10:42 AM on 12/16/2011

I've found that learning what hunger actually feels like (I'm sure you know people who have no clue about that) and only eating when actually hungry made all the difference for me. (This was before the chemo killed my appetite.) So many people eat when they're bored, thirsty, tired, stressed, etc., or just because it's that time, or because it looks or smells so gooooooood!

[William Anderson LMHC]

11:50 AM on 12/16/2011

Hunger, appetite and eating drive are different things. For instance, certain drugs will stimulate appetite and trigger unrelenting eating drive that is irresistable for most mere mortals, yet it is not physical hunger. Other drugs will eliminate appetite and eating drive, even when the body experiences hunger. Exercising self-control in the face of these forces takes technique, skill and work, not just will. And learning how to decondition the drive to eat to satisfy emotional needs is good, but it is not the whole answer. Chemo, eh? Best wishes with your treatment!

[Cognitivebehavioralellen]

10:08 AM on 12/15/2011

Great tips! It's really important at the holidays to give folks as many tools as possible. From a cognitive behavioral therapy view, our thoughts determine our emotions and resulting behaviors with food. Here's some tips from my latest video: Shrink and Carol: A funny but oh so true way to deal with the temptations of holiday eating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at63tuBTztY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Poetic]

09:21 AM on 12/15/2011

Good suggestions! I'd also mention that many gyms have "special" classes on big days like Christmas Eve morning and New Year's Eve morning. They are festive and fun. Check them out, even if you think they might be "too hard" - there will be all sorts of people there.