Dec. 21, 2018

This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

For more than 350 days, you’ve been disciplined.

Now comes the toughest week of the year for many trying to maintain a healthy diet: The heart of the holiday season.

Thanks to GreatLIFE’s Austin Kjergaard, we have some manageable suggestions for staying on track.

Plan ahead

Remember, a holiday is still a day like any other, Kjergaard said.

“Often, people will say ‘it is the holidays’ and consume more than they normally would. You can still eat food with your loved ones and be present in the moment without having to overconsume food and beverages.”

The day of an event, plan ahead for some physical activity.

“The day of, people should still try and get to the gym or do something active, as many tend to be less active during the holidays,” he said. 

Got cravings? Try substitutions

If there’s something on the holiday dinner table you love but struggle with portion control, Kjergaard suggests finding a substitute to help.

For instance, if you’re a big pie person, try satisfying your sweet tooth earlier in the meal with a sweet potato and fruit. High-fiber foods help too.

“During the holidays, people tend increase their consumption of fat, sugar and alcohol, which hinders us getting in the nutrients that we need,” Kjergaard said.

“By being active, eating fibrous foods early in the day — vegetables, some fruit, beans, grains — and drinking a few glasses of water, we can help control our appetite, get some of the proper nutrients in that we need and put our body in a better state if we are going to have some holiday goodies.”

Kjergaard suggests having a glass of water before and after your meal or holiday event.

“And have variety on your plate, like fruits, vegetables, whole-grain crackers and yams,” he said. “By doing this, we’re able to feel fuller and be more satiated, which can help with cravings.”

Stay active

While you still might be consuming more calories than usual, staying active can help. One simple way is to set a daily step goal, which forces you to keep moving during a time when most people are more sedentary.

“This can be done by downloading a free step-counter app on our phone, which can show us how much we move in a day,” Kjergaard said.

“After that, start setting weekly goals to get in the gym. Maybe week one is going once a week, week two is going twice a week, week three is three times a week, and by week four, you are going to the gym four times a week for the 30 to 60 minutes.”

GreatLIFE is there for you throughout the holiday season, with many gyms offering 24-hour access.

And there’s never been a better time to join if you aren’t already a member. Beat the new year’s resolution rush and take advantage of the best offer of 2018.

Join now for $0 down, no enrollment fee and no payment until January. Plus, refer a friend who joins, and receive a $50 gift card.