Thanksgiving is nearly upon us. For some people, that means a light dinner and then camping out by the Shops at North Bridge for Black Friday deals. For the rest of us, it means resisting the siren song of the buttered biscuits or the insistent voice of that leftover turkey thigh in the fridge. If you’ve spent the last several months on healthy weight loss working off last year’s seasonal excesses, how can you do better this year? Zip Fitness has some simple tips to help.
Make Healthy Choices: This is the time of year when everybody digs deep in their recipe boxes like a DJ digging in the crates for an obscure classic everybody loves. It could be the green bean casserole, or that one dish that every family’s got that makes you wonder how they made it past the 1950s without their arteries turning to plastic. Instead of the high-fat/high-salt dishes you know will make you pay later, go for more helpings of veggies and lean proteins.
All Things in Moderation: Yes, we just got done saying your best bet is making healthy choices. But maybe this is the one time of year you get to have Mom’s creamed spinach, or your Tio’s coquito. Go for it, but go easy on it. Sometimes it’s only having one slice of apple pie — sans ice cream — or only one beer even though somebody else’s the designated driver. Enjoy all the holidays offer, but stay mindful that a little self-control goes a long way.
Stay Active: Find ways to keep from turning into a slug. It’s especially vital if you’re going to spend a lot of time making the rounds of holiday get-togethers. If the thought of using that gym membership is getting you down, change your thinking: no couch potato now means more mashed potatoes later. How’s that for motivation?
Quit the Shame Spiral: We’re all grownups here. So let’s be honest. We’ve all had that night — or even a full day — where we ate and drank too much and fell asleep sitting up on the couch so the heartburn wouldn’t wake us up in the middle of the night. We’ve all had the morning after that was awful because the night before was so much fun.
That’s okay. What’s not okay is declaring yourself a failure, dodging the fitness center day after day and feeling awful for it. You deserve better, so snap out of it. It’s only a speed bump.
Need to get your motivation back? Stop by your closest ZIP Fitness location in the Chicagoland area. We have gym locations in Chicago, Joliet, and Arlington Heights (among others). Our personal trainers will get you back on track with a personalized weight loss plan, and make you feel great doing it!