How Not To Blow It: Thanksgiving Edition
Hello Strong & Beautifuls,
As we head into Thanksgiving week and the full swing of American-style holidays, it's more important than ever to stick to your workouts. Not because we're totally gonna gain five pounds eating gravy and pie (heaven forbid) and blow our cute winter wardrobes, but because our movement practices help keep us happy, balanced, and sane in what is a very energetic (read: stressful) time of year. I believe that stress more than anything keeps us from reaching our fitness goals, so below is my personal short list of do's & don't's to keep in mind for the next month of feasts, obligations, trips, and celebrations, all which can create and contribute to inflammatory stress.
1) DO move every day. If you can't make it to barre class, go for a walk. Consider throwing in a few jumping jacks or squats for flavor. If you only have 15 min, 15 min is better than nothing. Try a Tabata interval workout with your favorite barre moves mixed with a little cardio, or chase someone's child or dog around the yard for awhile. If nothing else, STRETCH. Do a few squats, touch your toes, do some sun salutations, roll your neck and shoulders. I am totally the chick doing yoga in the airport (minus the happy baby and glute bridges). You'll just feel freaking better!
2) DON'T stress Thanksgiving carbs and the occasional Christmas cookie. I believe that it's important to enjoy and savor the delicious, celebratory foods of the season that have been lovingly prepared by/for you, and I also believe that any impact they have on weight is super short-term, aka negligible. The point is not to stress about it, but rather, fully and completely enjoy it for the once-or-twice-a-year treat that it is. Since I adopted this strategy, I no longer see any change on the scale or jeans choices come January. (I also seriously stick to DO No. 1!)
3) DO eat your vegetables. Just eat them. Every meal. Every day. Do it.
4) DO take smaller portions - say, 3-4 bites - of things and go back for seconds of what you truly, truly dig. Usually the best part of a treat isn't the overstuffed feeling you get from having too much of it, and usually at feasts and parties there is plenty of everything, so there's no need to eat like you've been lost in the wilderness for three weeks. Another trick I like is to eat with a small fork or spoon and on the smallest plate I can find, as long as my hosts/company aren't too picky about their tableware settings.
In addition, make sure your celebratory food is just that - for a special occasion, not every day. That means skipping the sugar in your latte on Tuesday and saving the pumpkin spice for pie on Thursday, not in every other damn food you can think of. (True confession: I have exactly ONE peppermint mocha every year, as Starbuck's is the only coffee shop open on Christmas near my in-laws' house in Austin. And for the 20 minutes it takes me to drink the sweet high fructose corn syrupy mess, I have to admit it's pretty awesome).
5) DON'T beat yourself up for feasting/enjoying a cultural past time you grew up with. It doesn't make sense. See DO No. 1 and enjoy your once-a-year indulgences! They are part of being a person in this day and age. Only when they are taken for granted/not enjoyed to the fullest will they become a magnet for weight gain and/or general bummed-outtedness.
And when in doubt, I'll see you at the barre!
