It’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, so I thought it was only fitting to write a post about how to stay on track over the Holidays! Many people take this time as an “off season” from their diet and exercise. It is great to be less involved in the fitness world during this time of year, but the key is not falling completely off the bandwagon 🙂

This is my brother after the Turkey Trot in St. Paul back in 2014. It was a windchill of -20 degrees. It’s always a good time to see how cold of weather you can run in and brag about on social media HAHA

Healthy Eating Tips

1- Load your plate with vegetables

Holidays parties and Thanksgiving dinners can be filled with some crazy unhealthy options. So many sweet treats. I like to load up my first plate with vegetables and leafy greens. This will help you get your recommend 6 servings of fruits and vegetables and allow you more time to scope out the other food options. I like to hear what everyone’s favorite is before I grab my second plate. You will also be more filled up and less likely to over-eat and feel sick to your stomach full by doing this 🙂 I always like to indulge in the treats, but I eat my veggies first 😉

2- Bring a healthy dish

I know, super boring. This will assure that there is a healthy dish at the party, and I am sure it will be something that other people will appreciate. When people think about brining a dish to a party, they usually think “dessert, wine, etc”. I would encourage you to think healthy and maybe experiment with a new recipe or just bring a veggies tray

3- Take your time eating

This is huge! Sometimes you can over-eat without realizing it. It takes your body awhile to figure out you are full. Spend more time talking over your meals and catching up with all your friends and family while you are eating. If you take your time eating, you are more likely to notice when you are getting full.

Exercise Tips

1- Get it done early

Holiday parties and Thanksgiving get-togethers can be LONG. Be proactive about being active in the morning so you can enjoy a nice long evening with the family. A lot of gyms will be open on Thanksgiving! Make sure you take advantage of your time off work and be active 🙂 This can help jump start your metabolism for the long day of eating 😉

2- Consider a workout challenge

Run4PRs had a 30 day circuit training challenge over the month of November. Some people like to do mileage goals for the month- ie “100 miles in the month of December”

3- Holiday Themed Run of Turkey Trot

Check out some of your local races and sign up for these Holiday theme runs. You can even invite your friends and get new people into the sport! These themed runs can be a fun and healthy way to celebrate the Holiday season