'Tis the Season to be...fat and happy?

The holidays are right around the corner and I couldn't be more excited. I absolutely love this time of year! It's all about enjoying yourself, spending time with loved ones and of course...EATING! So, it's really no surprise that the average person gains 8lbs over the holidays.
 Now, I am not going to sit here and pretend that I don't enjoy a huge Thanksgiving meal and that I'm not the first in line for my mama's red velvet cake at Christmas. I absolutely love to eat and I do often splurge on the holidays, however, I put in extra time at the gym to ensure that I can afford to splurge. I'm sure you're thinking, "Oh, Brittany.. You make it sounds so easy.", but trust me...I struggle this time of year just like everyone else. The cold weather tries to put me in a slump and  I have to muster up energy to workout. I stare at equipment all day at work, but yet making myself actually jump on a machine or pick up a dumbbell sometimes just seems so...BLAH! In the past I made excuses like... I'll just kick my workout and  diet routine back up in January. Sound familiar? I'm sure I'm not the only one that has ever thought that. 
Did you know that the average person consumes 4,000 calories at their Thanksgiving meal? Keep in mind that if you blow your fitness routine on just three days- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years- it won't cause too much damage. What gets most of us into trouble is the nonstop feasting mentality that goes on from Thanksgiving through January 1st. 8 pounds is a lot of weight to have to lose come January... and if you are not at your ideal body weight...think about the weight you are trying to lose now and add 8 pounds to that. If you plan on being the "average person" this holiday season and packing on a winter coat...I sure hope you're ready to spend MONTHS working it off. Below I posted a picture of what just 5lbs of fat looks like...

Lovely isn't it? haha! Let's all try to avoid that this holiday season. I suggest you sticking to your workout routine, eating light and clean throughout the week, and only splurging on those special holidays. I realize that there will also be Christmas parties with tons of food and alcohol. If I'm realistic I'm not going to tell you to "avoid alcohol" and "eat before you go so you are not tempted with the treats"...Come on, who REALLY does that? What I will say is...you better get your butt to the gym the next morning! ;) Good Luck and may you and your family have a blessed holiday season! 


Yours in Health,
Brittany