Staying Healthy this Holiday Season

Christmas Season is fun and memorable for all Filipinos. We Eat. Then Eat. And Eat. Parties almost every night starting from the 3rd week of December until the first few days of January. Then comes Sinulog!!! 

But not everybody wants to attend parties. Some people (myself included) try to steer clear of overeating opportunities to avoid gaining weight during the holidays. It is really hard to control your appetite when all your favorite dishes are being served and waiting to be devoured. My weakness? Humba. I just can't stop eating our home cooked (Heart attack guaranteed) Humba. I also can't refrain from having an extra serving of any vanilla/ chocolate Ice cream. I am heavy built and gain weight easily whenever I indulge.

I created a healthy lifestyle plan to keep my weight at bay during the holidays. I hope it works well for you as well. Good Luck!!!! 

1. Whenever you are invited to a party. Arrive LATE! As long as you are not bringing food for everybody then it is acceptable to be late. Be Tardy enough that all the good and tasty food have vanished and you are left with just water and Soup. 

2. Stick/ Hang out with healthy weight-conscious Friends. Some of my team mates from Multisport Team Reborn are healthy but not weight conscious because they are blessed with bodies able to metabolize large amounts of food. I try to stick with team mates who are trying to control their food intake as well during the holidays. One for all, All for one. 

3. Make aerobic/ fat burning exercises a group activity. Organize a group bike ride or run to make the holidays more jolly as well as healthy.

4. Schedule Lunch or Dinner parties after regular training hours. This will help increase your metabolism during the party and burn some of the calories you are taking in. 

5. If its not too important, SKIP IT! Try to make an excuse for not attending the party. Be polite, not rude. 

6. Earn your food. Eat only what you have burned prior to the meal. Remind yourself that training is hard and burning 500 calories is equivalent to running at moderate intensity for an hour. Drinking one venti-sized Frappuccino (>500 calories) can be burned by running for more than an hour. 

7. Count calories. I am not a big fan of this but I just remind myself that a cup of hot Cafe Mocha is more than double the calories compared to a cup of Cafe Americano with no sugar and cream. A bottle of San Mig Light is 100 calories and a regular glass of red wine is 100-150 calories.  

8. Eat more vegetables or fiber. I eat cereal bars for breakfast while driving to work or after a workout. During parties, I try to fill my plate with veggies first before meat or carbs. 

9. Love Peanuts and Peanut butter. I never run out of peanuts in the car and peanut butter in the office. I love Jiff or Peter Pan Reduced Fat Peanut butter and Cheding's Greaseless Peanuts. These help reduce my food cravings between meals and provide me with enough protein and calories for recovery. 

10. Pick your food. It does not have to be expensive as long as it is not processed. Despite my love for Cheeseburgers, I try to refrain myself from eating fast food unless there are no other choices. I eat chips, fries and Ice cream only during "cheat days" 1-2x a week to keep myself motivated to exercise and burn the calories I have consumed. 

11. Drink water. This, for me, is the most important. A glass of water before meals and 30-60 minutes after a meal. I consume around 2-3 Liters of water on a regular day. If its really hot and humid outside or if I am training, I consume more. No beer, soda or artificial juices during parties. 

This regimen has worked well for me these past few weeks. I have not gained weight since the start of the holidays and I feel lighter. A regular and healthy diet supplemented with a consistent Aerobic exercise program (moderate intensity, at least 30 minutes/ day for 3-5 days/ week) will help you feel younger, lighter and healthier. Happy Holidays!!!