Holiday Weight Gain

I hope everyone is enjoying some kind of holiday break, even if it’s for your sanity! My husband and I are spending time with both of our families for the next week. Luckily they live within driving distance of each other (3.5 hours), so that’s what I’m doing now – writing in the car on the way to my in-laws’.

We’ve already spent a couple days with my family (and will be going back to see them again soon) and I can already feel a difference in my body… ugh. Dreaded holiday weight gain.

I read something the other day that said the average amount of weight gain during the holidays is 1 pound per day. That’s an astonishing statistic! Ever since I read that, I’ve tried to stay away from “being a statistic” as I like to call it, but, darn it, my mom has so many baked goodies laying around, that it makes it hard!

Pictures to come!

Luckily we live in Texas where the weather gets cool, but not so cold that we can’t function outdoors, so I hope to have plenty of runs over the next few days to work off some of the calories that I’m joyfully indulging!

Yesterday I only had time to run after the sun went down, which meant that the temperatures dropped to the teens. So considering that I forgot my running tights, and I’m still not cleared from pneumonia, I found myself on my parents’ treadmill. The run seemed pretty hard, and I think I know the reason – too much crappy food, and not enough healthy food that my body can truly benefit from.

It’s interesting that I never notice how good/healthy/energized I feel when I eat healthily, but I notice how quickly all that changes when I eat a meal of fried chicken strips and French fries. So that’s essentially where I am now – trying to recover from one day of bad eating, and trying to eat well the rest of the trip.

Which is why exercise plays such an important role for me. I can tell a difference in myself mentally and physically before the difference ever appears on the scale. So I have to exercise often (especially when I’m away from my normal meals and eating routines) in order to continue to feel good about myself. No one wants a grouchy Kristen during the holidays… or ever, for that matter.

So here are my exercise goals for the rest of my trip. I’m writing them here to help hold me accountable, and hopefully I’ll check in often enough to confess or confirm what actually happened.

• Sunday: Run 5 miles
• Monday: Run 3 miles
• Tuesday: Rest for Christmas
• Wednesday: Run 5 miles
• Thursday: Rest (traveling back home)
• Friday: Run 5 miles

And my personal holiday eating goals are to:

• Only have one serving at every meal.
• Be careful when snacking – most weight gain for me happens when I mindlessly snack on something between meals just because there’s easy access.
• Start every morning with an apple (my favorite fruit) and don’t eat after dinner.
• When eating at a restaurant, eat a side salad and drink an entire glass of water before so I feel fuller, and less likely to over eat on the entrée.
• Don’t eat any processed snacks (Goldfish are my biggest weakness)! This time of the year is filled with high-calorie/high-sugar foods, albeit, delicious foods, that there’s no need to waste calories that are even more unhealthy.

What are your exercise and eating goals?
What is your favorite baked-good during the holidays?
Are you making time to exercise? How?