Tips On Staying Healthy Throughout The Holidays

Unless you are a serious cardio shopper, and who is anymore thanks to online shopping, gaining weight during the holidays is pretty much part of the season. While I have no interest in "dieting" (which will only result in me and you being a little moody and resentful), I do believe you can have your holiday treats AND fit into your New Year's dress.

For years, I've been challenged with striking a healthy balance between enjoying all the temptations of the holidays with staying fit and fabulous. My philosophy back then was to eat and eat again and I would start anew after the new year. Of course, that didn't work. Here are just a few of my tips I've learned along the way that will hopefully prevent us from going over the edge and packing on the holiday 15.

1. Don't show up to a holiday party hungry. You aren't saving yourself any calories by skipping a meal and starving yourself. You're going to end up overeating all the fried food and creamy dips. When you save all those calories for that one big party, you're going to end up eating more than you planned. I recently took this advice to heart and ate a healthy meal before a holiday party and it turned out that I ate a lot less than I did in years past. I was able to spend more time talking to friends instead of being worried about what I was going to stuff myself with.

2. Everyone is going to drink over the holidays and you're just kidding yourself if you. So if your cocktail of choice is eggnog, wine, champagne or fun and festive drink like The Grinch or Christmas Cosmo, I say go ahead and enjoy yourself. You deserve a night out making the spirits bright. But you'll do your body good by limiting how many nights out you have drinks.

3. Stay active and keep those extra poundages away. According to Everydayhealth.com, you can burn 150 calories by walking a mile at a pace of 15-20 minutes per mile, bicycling for 30 minutes, running a 10 minute mile, climbing stairs for 15 minutes or dancing for 30 minutes. But try to remember why you are exercising and make every moment count. After all, the more intense your workout, the more calories you can burn.

4. As my mother likes to say, pick your battles and allow yourself to indulge on your favorite holiday delights. But do be picky about what you do enjoy. Treating yourself to a few of your favorite foods is as much a part of the holiday season as overcrowded stores. Any plan I've ever had to follow a strict eating regimen over the holidays has usually backfired on me and I ended up binging on everything.

5. Don't throw in the towel. Just because you have a day or three where you went overboard doesn't mean all is lost. Just remember, everyday is a new day and each day you can start a new with a healthy plan.

I know this time of year is challenging to remain disciplined, but remember one day of indulging isn't going to wreck your health goals. You can't gain weight from enjoying a night or two, it's your everyday choices that can cause you to tip the scales. Enjoy yourself, but be sure to put it as my amazing spin instructor Kristin likes to say "back there" the next day and focus your energies on being healthy.

Let me know what your indulgences are during this holiday season -- then tell me how you plan to maintain your healthy habits.