Getting Through the Holidays

I have made myself a punch list to keep me on track during all the days of temptation ahead. 

1.  Add one 8-oz glass of water to each day.  More water really does make you feel better!

2.  Sign up for the Thanksgiving morning Turkey Run, an annual 5K event.  What better way to start your festivities than by burning off some of those calories you're going to take in later in the day?  If they don't offer something like that where you live, go for a brisk walk or run when you get up Thanksgiving morning.

3.  Sign up for the Holiday Challenge at the YMCA.  You can do this with a friend or a group if your local gym doesn't have anything like this.  Weigh in during the week prior to Thanksgiving and then again the week after New Year's.  It helps keep you focused on whether or not you really want that second cookie!  You can either sign up to maintain your current weight or to lose 5 pounds.  If you reach your goal, your name goes in a drawing for a prize.  One year I won.  My name was posted in the fitness center and I got four YMCA drinking glasses, a YMCA personal size towel, a water bottle, and a $5 Subway gift card.  A major award! 

4.  Sign up for the Turkey Burn-off, another annual event offered by the YMCA on the day after Thanksgiving.  They offer special classes all morning in cardio, strength training, and yoga so you can work off some of that pumpkin pie.

5.  Plan ahead for eating.  If I know I'm going to my mom's for dinner, and I know she's going to offer me one of her peanut butter chocolate chip pecan cookies, then I'm going to stick really closely to my healthy choices for the rest of the day. 

6.  Plan ahead for exercise.  If I know the coming week holds a lot of extra events and activities that will get in the way of my regular exercise routine, I will need to figure out other ways and times to get that done.

7.  Starting today I'm going to do 25 crunches every morning as soon as I get up.  I did that last year from Thanksgiving to New Year and it really helped me focus for the day.  By starting today I will have done 1525 extra crunches by the time we ring in the New Year.

8.  Continue running on Saturday mornings.  Well, Christmas is on a Saturday so I may have to take that day off.  But I got started on regular Saturday runs when training for the half marathon and it really is a good way to start your weekend.

9.  Stick as much as possible to my regular diet.  I will feel better and look better, plus I won't have to make as many new year's resolutions.

10.  Take time to rest and remember it is okay to say no sometimes!