Tis the Season to be 10lbs heavier

It is days before Thanksgiving,
and if your family is anything like my family, you are still finishing off candy from Halloween. I know, you thought more kids would come by (don't we all), but they didn't and now you are stuck with a couple bags of Snickers, KitKat, (insert name of candy you still have here). As we polish off the remains of Halloween, Thanksgiving lurks in the near future. Turkey skin, gravy, stuffing, an assortment of creamy casseroles and pies. It is a diet's worst nightmare and it is just beginning! I'm sure your calendars are filling up with holiday parties, cookie exchanges, and more. Soon you will be throwing all your hard work away and waiting for January 1st to set a New Year Resolution to "lose 10lbs", which is ironically the same resolution you had last year, and the year before, ... you get the picture. 

But don't let the Holidays ruin your fitness plan! Why does there have to be "holiday weight"? Most people on a diet are SO STRICT, that when they indulge in 1 slice of pie, that they throw it all away, figure "all is lost" and think that they might as well eat the whole dang pie because in our minds:

 1 slice = 8 slices

or might as well!

(how do we come up with this stuff?)

 But all is NOT lost!

It is our mindset that needs to be changed, not the food! Sure, have a slice of pie, but just ONE! Don't think about it as falling off the wagon, because that only encourages quitting. If you allow yourself to enjoy the holidays REASONABLY, you wont have the usual regrets. 

Aside from food, exercise should be a part of your routine too! Just think, if you burn an extra 300 calories on a jog in the morning, that piece of pie wont hurt your diet later that day! I know we are all busy, and you think, Whitney, really? a jog? like I have time for that! But you can MAKE time! Wake up 30 minutes earlier, Heck! park farther away at the store every time, and you can really rack up some extra steps taken each day (don't believe me? get a pedometer to wear for the season. You will actually walk more BECAUSE you have it on.) Take time to walk the dog, ride your bike, or play football with your kids! Just MOVE MORE during the day and you will have to WORRY LESS about that cookie you ate! It is the perfect time of year for your family to get outside!

Fit Tip #1: 
If you want to move more during the day, pick up a pedometer at your local fitness store! You will be surprised at how you actually want to walk MORE steps to rack up your daily count! A little competition with yourself never hurts!