Avoid Holiday Weight Gain With Some Family Fun

The day-to-day hustle and bustle of baking, shopping and organizing holiday events will give any busy woman stress which can lead to emotional eating, extra calories and feeling as though there is no time for exercise.  It can be especially difficult to keep an exercise routine or maintain a healthy diet when the kids get out of school or when hosting out of town guests. Allowing the stress and a lack of time to control what you eat and when you exercise can quickly bring on those holiday pounds. Instead of looking at house guests or the kids home all day as interruptions, you can avoid the holiday weight gain with some family fun by incorporating them in your exercise and holiday “to do’s.’    HOLIDAY BAKING

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely tempted to eat more cookie dough if I am baking alone.  However, if someone is watching such as my kids or house guests, I am more likely to quickly put the bowls in the sink without even a taste. It may feel like more work, but have some fun with the family and save your holiday baking to do together.

FAMILY FUN EXERCISE

If you have been on a regular exercise schedule and find there's just no way to get in a workout during the holidays, get creative and find ways to move for you and the family.

• Forget about looking cute when out shopping. Wear you tennis shoes and walk as much as possible. See who can walk the fastest with a few extra laps at the mall. Take the stairs when possible and park in the back of the parking lot.
• Just sitting around watching TV or playing video games can bring on a little chaotic stress which leads to more eating. Bundle up and get everyone outside with a game of football, tag or hide and seek. Decide to take a family walk or volunteer to walk the dog.

• If the weather is an obstacle, take a 15 minute break and get the kids for a quick work out.  Do push ups, squats, lunges and crunches as a family.  Make a competitive game out of it, which is always a crowd pleaser.

This holiday season, don’t look at your to do’s, out of town guests and no school for your kids as an interruption. Throw out your normal routine and have some family fun that can help you avoid the holiday weight gain.  Get them involved in all of your baking and get them out moving with you.