Right now you may be wondering how you will navigate through the holiday season without overeating. It is a time for celebrations of many kinds around the globe! Thanksgiving is only a couple days away, if you are American, and other holidays with all the parties and food follow shortly after. What do you do?
Trust me, I know it is hard! On the one hand you want to lighten up some and enjoy the holidays. That includes indulging a little with holiday foods! That’s O.K. On the other hand, there are things you can do NOW to minimize the damage and still have a good time with friends and family. And you can be ready to tackle weight loss with full awareness after the holidays pass.
Do watch your portions through the holidays and eat slowly. By doing this you can get just as much enjoyment from holiday treats without as many calories. An easy way to keep your portions in check is to eat off of smaller plates. This can work wonders if you use common sense and avoid piling food on your plate or going back for seconds!
Whenever possible, be more physically active to burn off some of the extra calories you consume. I love to walk. It helps me to burn off calories and also some of the stress that comes with life in any season especially the holidays. If you can’t walk, however, think about what else you can do! Dance? Hula-hoop like the First Lady, Michelle Obama? Get creative!
As you navigate the holidays prepare yourself to be ready for a fresh start in the New Year. You CAN succeed with weight loss! Today I have a guest article for you written by a man who is the founder of an online community fitness site. He is knowledgeable about the struggles that both men and women experience in doing what it takes to achieve weight loss, fitness, and better health. In this article he shares what I consider to be some of the very best tips for success. Read and take this advice to heart. It can make an enormous difference in your life!
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How to Finally Succeed at Losing Weight
by Rafi Bar-Lev
You’ve been trying to lose weight on and off for years, but just haven’t been able to succeed. Well, you’re in luck, because chances are that it’s not because of your genetics that you’ve been having trouble, but rather because of how you’ve been going about it. In that spirit, here are 5 tips to help you finally succeed at losing weight:
1. Count your calories.
Counting calories is probably the most important weight loss tool you
have at your disposal. By learning how many calories are in your current diet that maintains your current weight, you have the key to fat loss at your fingertips. To start losing weight, after you’ve counted your calories, start taking in 500 less calories a day to lose 1 pound of pure fat a week.
Getting the hang of calorie counting can be annoying, but after a couple of weeks you will get the hang of it and have an intuitive feeling for how much of different foods you can eat…and you’ll be surprised by how much easier it makes it to stay in shape!
2. Workout with a friend.
It can be hard to motivate yourself to go speed walking, jogging, or
even to go lift weights at the gym. There’s no better way to make sure you keep consistent with your workouts then to workout with a friend. When you know someone else is depending on you, you’re much more likely to keep going.
3. Eat real food.
Women often make the mistake of checking how much they’re eating, but forgetting to check what they’re eating. Having enough vitamins in your blood is critical for maximizing your metabolism and ability to digest food well, so make sure that the calories you’re eating are real food like whole wheat bread, lean meat, vegetables, fruits, and some dairy products.
4. Listen to music!
Music is a great way to keep yourself motivated both to workout and keep up your diet. When you’re feeling discouraged or unmotivated, start listening to your favorite tunes and remember how badly you want to lose weight!
5. Don’t feel guilty about relapses.
The most important thing when you’re on a weight loss journey is not to feel guilty about relapses. I guarantee you that EVERYONE has relapses, and it’s a normal thing. The trick to succeeding on your journey is that after your relapse, you get right back onto your diet and your workouts and don’t feel bad about having gone binge eating. In fact, it’s even better that when those times happen that you do relapse…that you allow yourself to unwind and enjoy it. 
This is a guest post by Rafi Bar-Lev, a former combat medic and founder of the popular community fitness site, Passionate Fitness. Check it out!
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Till next time, enjoy the holidays with the tips covered here. In the coming weeks I have lots to share with you to help you on your weight loss and/or maintenance journey including some things I learned on my recent trip to Paris!
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