A Little Holiday Help!

So it is the holiday season and a while back I talked about the lack of exercise I have been doing since the wedding. I would also like to admit that I have not been eating super awesome either. I will blame that on Halloween candy! But since it is the holiday season, I figured it would be nice to eat a little healthier during the week and exercise so I can enjoy the holiday treats. I once read in a self magazine that you should not diet during the months of November and December. It can cause a person to feel very blue to not partake in the holiday cheer. Since I do not remember the last diet I was on, I figured why start now. I just generally like to eat better and up my exercise routine to improve my overall self, including my mind. These cold, dark months can take a toll but with the right motivation, they seem less dreary.

There are a few tips I like to use when embarking on a weight loss adventure and I figured I could share a few!

•The first is water intake. The past year I have lost about 20 pounds and I think that is for sure due to the “water culture” at Target (take your moment to laugh and then come back when you can be serious!). We have these giant, gas station size plastic mugs that everyone carries around and we fill them with water. People take water breaks here to go down to the big water and ice machines in the café! It is crazy, but you drink a lot! I do a mug every hour or two and I feel pretty refreshed at work! For sure well hydrated!

•Second is to eat breakfast! Since I took up eating breakfast, I have felt a lot better and it really does curb your appetite. Sometimes I eat cereal but I have this fun trick for taking breakfast to work. I do one of two things the night before. I cut up an apple, sprinkle with lemon juice and grab some peanut butter, or, and this is my favorite, I fill a little plastic container with yogurt the night before. I add frozen fruit (my favorite being raspberries!). At Target you can get this big bag of fruit for $7! Lasts a long time! I stick it in my lunch bag and when I get to work the next morning, the raspberries are thawed and I am eating a delicious, healthy yogurt parfait for breakfast! So good!

•I am also a big ice cream fan. I like to have a bowl almost every night after supper. When I was in high school I use to eat fat free ice cream and it really did not do the trick. Plus, I have learned from my research that fat, in moderation, is actually better for you then these fat free foods. So I have started eating light ice cream and there are two brands that really make some great light ice cream. Edy’s double churned ice cream and Breyers. And if you live by a super target, they have a generic of the Edy’s double churned. A great way to have the ice cream, and the flavor, but not sacrifice all your hard work in the gym.

That’s about it for my tricks and tips. I don’t have many but I wanted to share the ones I do have because I have found them to be very helpful!
Cheers to the holiday season!