Survive The
Holidays
How to stay
fit and trim from Thanksgiving to New Year's.
By Matt Fitzgerald
Conventional wisdom has it that
most of us gain about five pounds during thesix-week holiday
period. In reality, according to a study in the New England
Journal of Medicine, the average person gains only one pound
over the holidays--but never loses it. So, after a decade of
Turkey-Day feasts, officeparty appetizers, and liberal late-night
toasts, you could be lugging around an extra 10 pounds.
Before you boycott the holidays,
know that you can get through this most wonderful time of the
year with your fitness and waistline intact. All you need are
a few proven strategies for keeping your activity level up and
your caloric intake under control. Follow this RW Action Plan
and you'll enjoy the holidays and start the New Year lean and
fit.
Survival Strategy #1: Stay
Consistent
Chuck Bartlett, who coaches more than 100 runners in the Seattle
area, believes that the best way to stay consistent with your
running is to avoid pressuring yourself to be too consistent.
Runners who try to keep up ambitious workouts often find it
too daunting and wind up skipping days completely. So, Bartlett
recommends focusing on simply doing some kind of workout almost
every day, even if it's very short and easy. "I'd rather
see people run 20 minutes five days a week than an hour a couple
of days a week," says Bartlett.
When it comes to your diet, you
may find it impossible to resist eating a few more sweets and
rich foods than you normally do. And that's okay. But you want
to follow the same general healthy eating guidelines you do
at other times of the year. According to Kim Mueller, R.D.,
a San Diego-based sports nutritionist, one factor that tends
to sabotage dietary consistency during the holidays is the mind-set
that "well, since I splurged yesterday, I might as well
go ahead and splurge today." Instead, she says, allow yourself
small portions of special foods during holiday events, then
focus on getting back on track with the very next meal.
Survival Strategy #2: Plan
Ahead
Take some time before the holidays start to plan your exercise
schedule. "Actually write down your days off from work,
your trips, and other events," says Bartlett. "Figure
out when you'll likely be able to run and when you definitely
won't be able to run." Then you can pencil in workouts
on days you know you'll be around and schedule days off from
running to coincide with travel days, family visits, and the
like. You can use a slightly different sort of planning to prevent
overeating at holiday meals and parties. "Use visualization
before you go," says Ilana Katz, R.D., nutritionist for
the Sport Factory in Roswell, Georgia.
"First picture yourself eating
only one plate of food. And decide that you're going to choose
just a few of your favorite foods to enjoy--and that you don't
have to taste everything." We seldom overeat on purpose,
Katz says. We do it spontaneously. So by taking some of the
spontaneity out of your holiday eating, you stand a better chance
of enjoying your food in moderation.
Survival Strategy #3: Keep
Score
There's a principle of physics stating that to observe a phenomenon
is to change it. Katz suggests keeping a food journal--writing
down everything you eat and drink--to give you an accurate picture
of how many calories you are taking in. Maintaining your running
log during this period is also important, since it will clearly
illustrate how many of those calories you are (or aren't) burning
off. Knowing that you're "keeping score" may help
you restrain yourself at the dessert buffet and motivate you
to keep up your mileage.
"When you go out, wear tight-fitting
clothes," says Katz. "It helps you be more aware of
how much you're eating." You may also want to weigh yourself
roughly once a week throughout the holidays, since studies have
shown that those who weigh themselves frequently are less likely
to gain weight. Mueller suggests keeping tabs on your weight
by monitoring how your favorite pair of jeans are fitting
Survival Strategy #4: Set
Goals
The holidays are not the time of year when most runners achieve
peak endurance or speed. But they are an excellent time to focus
on other aspects of fitness, such as strength and flexibility,
which are often neglected in the warmer months when you're logging
more running miles. Setting a more general fitness goal in the
short term will give you a motivational boost now and also set
you up to achieve a higher level of running performance in the
spring. If, for example, you've been struggling with tight calves
or hamstrings, focus your training during this six-week period
on improving your flexibility. Or concentrate on building total-body
strength by adding some resistance training to your routine.
The holiday season is also a good
time to set some running-related goals for next year. "Pick
out some spring races you want to run," Bartlett says.
"That can motivate you to start the year a little bit ahead
of the game."
Survival Strategy #5: Forget
Willpower
Even though most runners are pretty determined folks, psychologists
say that sheer willpower is not the best way to overcome the
temptation to run less and eat more during the holidays. Instead,
they suggest substituting an appealing alternative to unhealthy
foods and inactive habits. "I grew up in the Northeast,"
says Bartlett, "and I was a cross-country skier as well
as a runner, so I used to love to go up to the mountains and
cross-country ski instead of running in December and January."
Other good alternatives to running include snowshoeing, basketball,
dancing, ice-skating, indoor cycling, and cardio kickboxing.
In terms of food, you can sometimes
substitute the pleasure of overeating with the pleasure of social
interaction. "When you go to a party, instead of hanging
out where the food platter is, find a room where your friends
are just talking and hang out with them," Katz says. And
when you do venture to the buffet, try to find the most healthful
items that still satisfy your cravings.
Of course, there are times when
nothing can substitute for a slice of cheesecake or several
crackers smothered in crab dip. In these cases, it's best to
have the real thing--but just a little. "Remember the law
of diminishing returns," days Mueller. "The first
bite is going to release the most pleasure hormones. Each bite
thereafter releases less. So, if there are several foods on
the table that you want to consume, take tiny portions of each
of them." That way you can have your cake--and eggnog too.
