While gaining weight around the holidays may seem inevitable (with delicious treats and goodies everywhere you turn!), my personal trainer John Damon was kind enough to write up a guest blog with a few key tips on how to avoid those extra holiday pounds. Take it away, John! 

‘Tis The Season…

Happy Holidays to all of Whitney’s readers and fans! This is a great time to be thankful to everyone in our lives and I am grateful for you, and for Whitney! Now this is the time of year for holiday parties and office parties and lunches and dinners with friends and family. So Whitney asked me to give some tips in order to stay on track with your fitness and nutrition during the holiday season and I am happy to help. Just because it is the holidays doesn’t give you a free pass to eat and drink whatever you want. It is a holiday party, not an eating contest. Here we go!

1. Workout in the morning. If your calendar is looking like that of a social butterfly, plan to workout in the morning. That way you will get your workout in, and you will feel happy that you did, and still be able to go out that night. Everyone is busy these days, and you are not an exception. But if you workout before work, you won’t have to worry about fitting a workout in after work.
2. Don’t go to the party hungry. Eat before going to the party. This is a great thing to do in order to stay on your nutrition and fitness path. If you eat before you go to your party, then you can choose to eat a healthy meal and not be tempted to stray from your nutrition plan at the party. Grab a bar or a protein shake if you are in a hurry! And you can still deck the halls with your co-workers, friends, and family.
3. Stay away from finger foods!! A good rule in general that definitely applies to eating healthy during the holiday season is to NOT eat finger foods. They are usually fried, high in fat, processed, or all of the above.
4. Don’t drink your calories! Eggnog might be a holiday classic, but it will add to your waste line. Also, that frozen margarita might be as high as 800 calories. That can be 2/3 of your daily caloric intake. That is a lot!! Also, the peppermint mochalattechino from your favorite coffee house is not calorie free.
5. Don’t stand near the food. If you are standing near the food, you will be more likely to pick at it. Pick a spot away from the food, or just head to the dance floor.
6. Lead by example! If you are asked to bring a dish to the potluck, bring a healthy one. People that are like-minded will appreciate your hard work and dedication.

I hope these tips help and I hope that everyone has a happy, and healthy holiday season!!! We’ll talk about New Year’s Resolutions next time…

All my best,
Johnny D.