Holiday Weight Maintenance
Tis the season when pounds start magically appearing. Exercising and maintaining my weight can be a challenge this time of year. My routine gets out of whack with guests to entertain and an abundance of food to eat. Suddenly, I’m not exercising regularly, overeating and not savoring my food or the holiday.
New Traditions
This year in my quest for a healthier lifestyle, I am instituting some new traditions. Instead of vegging in front of the television the entire time, I will take a walk. If there’s snow, instead of cuddling up by the fire, I will bundle up and snowshoe or ski. If it’s raining, I’ll pull out my raingear and go splash in the puddles. If the weather is too miserable, I’ll pull out my yoga mat and do some core work
in front of the fire.
Cooking and Exercise
Rebecca J. Clark, author of The Checklist Diet offered these suggestions for cooking and exercise. I am going to employ them as well.
- Calf raises—whenever you’re stirring something on the stove.
- Side leg raises—while stirring/mixing away from the stove.
- Stand on one leg—while washing your hands (don’t forget to switch legs).
- Arm circles—while waiting for the pot to boil.
- Deep breathing—while chopping vegetables (in through the nose, pause, out through the mouth)
- I’m also adding balance a book on my head and play plenty of music and dance when cooking—it’s fun, relaxing and I get some exercise, too
Cooking
Cooking is an integral part of the holiday for me and with that activity comes several challenges.
- I like to sample as I cook, which also kills my appetite
- I like to cook lots of food and fill my plate that even a crew of 50 couldn’t finish
- I like a wide variety of desserts and veggies get kicked to the wayside
Savor the Holiday
My plan this year is to sample sparingly while cooking, so that I will be able to enjoy the meal when it’s finally on the table. I will choose reasonable quantities of food, rather than filling a heaping plate full of food that will leave me uncomfortably full and remind myself Thanksgiving is not just about food. I will strive to eat slowly and savor all the food I spent so many hours preparing.
I will eat dessert, but in small portions, and again, savor ever bite so that I come away satisfied, but not stuffed.
The 3 F’s
My main objective this Thanksgiving is to savor the FFF’s of the holiday—family, friends and food. I intend to do all three of these without guilt and without depriving myself. And I’m sprinkling in exercise, too, as a stress reliever.
What are your biggest challenges during the holidays?
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone, savor every moment and don’t forget fresh air makes everything better!