 Don't wait to lose that weight
Now that the kids are back in school, I am already noticing large bags of candy in the stores in anticipation of Halloween.
The holidays are coming, and now is the time to begin making plans for navigating them with some pleasure and few regrets.
Consider this. Would you like to lose about 10 lbs before the holidays so that you have a little bit of wiggle room to indulge? From now until October 31st is about 10 weeks. You can lose 10 lbs by then at a comfortable and healthy rate of one pound per week.
Now is the perfect time to start making plans. Last January I wrote an article suggesting you take notes on successes and failures in meeting your holiday fitness goals. (You can find the article on my website.) If you did make notes, it's time to pull them out and review them. Otherwise, spend a little time now reflecting on last year's holiday season. Make a decision now about your goals for this year. Do you want to lose a little before or just try to maintain your current weight?
It's not impossible to lose weight. I spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and running around for two months straight that I usually lose a few pounds.
Once your goal is set, you need to make a game plan. Make a list of your typical stumbling blocks and how you might get around them.
Do you find yourself eating out too much because you're too busy to cook? Try starting your shopping earlier in the season so that you're not doing it all at the last minute. Or you might try doing some of your shopping on the Web which will save time and keep you away from restaurant temptations.
Do you have difficulty with holiday parties? Many people eat very little the day before a party in anticipation of the indulgence. If this is something that you do, does it usually work for you? If not, try eating a bit more than usual that day so that you are not hungry that evening and are better able to stay in control. Plan to have some small meals available that you can eat before you go.
This is also a perfect time to start a new exercise plan. By the time Halloween rolls around, you will be well set in your new habits. This will make it much easier to continue your plan throughout the season.
The key to success in fitness and weight loss is planning. When faced with the special challenges that the holiday season presents, it's never too soon to plan. Why not consider giving yourself a gift this year, one that will keep on giving: A happy and healthy holiday season. |
