Make it through the holidays with a tone stomach

It’s that great time of year again. The time of year when the air turns crisp, the stores fill with holiday cheer and the body gains an extra 5 pounds of fat and lose that tone stomach. With extra food, parties, drinks and lack of exercise, people gain on average between 2-5 pounds of pure fat during the holidays. That might not sound like much, but that is the difference between looking average and looking ripped. Here are a few great tips that will help you keep your tone stomach through out the holidays.

1. Workout no matter what. The slowest time of year at any gym is the holiday season. Most people have parties to attend, shopping to do, family flies in from out of state and other reasons to stay away from the gym. After about 6 weeks of the chaos your good habit of exercising has suddenly disappeared. You will power has been crushed and you think of every reason to not hit up the gym. Let not get to that point this year. Make it a habit of working out no matter what. Even if it is the 20 minute 300 workout, you are still keeping the good habit and burning fat in the process.
2. Control the cravings. Tables filled with sweets, different kinds of foods and alcohol are all around you. Friends, families and employees bring in homemade cookies, candy and other treat to fill the holiday spirit. Well this is not only filling your spirit but also your stomach. Each cookie, piece of candy, and any other treat are filled with delicious empty calories. Keep these little treats to a minimum.
3. Proportion control. Just because Aunt Sally has prepared enough food for an army doesn’t mean you have to eat it all. Make sure you are controlling your portions and not eating more than you would at a regular dinner.
4. Drink sparingly. The season is filled with cheer, to much some times. Wine, beer and spirits are the center piece of any social event especially around the holidays. The calories in a drink can add up fast, especially if you have family over, parties to attend and other events every weekend. Have a good time but limit yourself to a drink or two. Any more than that will not only make you feel lousy in the morning, but also give you extra calories you don’t need.
5. Keep a food log. Yes, keep your food log handy at all times. This little tool will help you to stay honest and keep yourself on track. When you start writing down every piece of candy, cookie, drink etc… you will see how fast they actually add up.

Keep these tips in mind during the holiday season and you will not have any problems keeping off the winter coat.