5 Nutrition Tips for the Holiday Season
I was talking to a good friend of mine over the weekend who is one of the best personal trainers in the industry, specifically about the challenges of keeping our clients accountable during the hardest time of the year…the HOLIDAY SEASON.
We both agreed that It’s not that our clients can’t get motivated go to the gym that is the problem, but it’s the temptation of the holiday foods that make it difficult to stay on plan.
We all know that 80% of a complete wellness program is through proper nutrition. SImple, right? Not really. But that’s not to say that eating an “off plan meal” (OPM) once, or twice a week, is bad. Fact is, you should. But the challenge over the next 3 months are controlling the temptation of those holiday meals, desserts/candy, and cocktails, which WILL happen more than just a couple of times a week.
At some point WE, including myself AND YOU, will give in.
So how do we work this in to the plan with our clients, and ourselves? Here are 5 simple tips that I personally use and share with my PT clients and class participants:
1. Keep your blood sugar levels stable by: eating every 3-4 hours; eating a balanced portion of carbs, proteins and fat; and eating proper portions sizes. If your blood sugar levels stay consistent throughout the day it will control the sweet cravings and keep your metabolism high so you’re not storing fat.
2. Drink at least 1 gallon of water a day. Sounds like a lot, but drinking water is one way to trick your body in to feeling full. It will get you through those periods between meals when you feel the temptation to eating inside the 3-4 hour window. And of course there are all of the benefits of staying hydrated.
3. Plan your OPM at the beginning of the week. This will give you something to look forward too. And when you have your OPM eat whatever you want. It’s one of the best rewards you can give yourself.
4. Prepare your meals early the in the week. Personally, I will prepare my meals on Sunday. It’s saves so much time than having to do this EVERY night. I personally would rather spend time with my kids in the evening then having to make my meals for the next day.
5. Lastly, use Personal Trainer Food if you want to take a lot of the work out of meal preparation. This is an amazing service for the person who is too busy, has a hard time cooking and preparing their food in advance, and would rather save the time and effort of going to the market.
I would love to hear what you do with your clients and class participants during the next 3 months to help them stay on track during the holidays…
