Holiday Season Tips

Hey Gang, Terrific Tuesday here. Yeah, I’m going with this whole positive thing 😉

Can you believe the holidays are around the corner? Me neither! Time to save my pennies, sorry Lululemon.

The other day at work I was talking with a co-worker (we are around the same age) about how gifts change with age. When you are a kid, even a teenager, you never think you will get to the point where you are actually excited about a crock pot, a vacuum, or an iron. As a kid it’s all about toys, a teen all about clothes, and early 20’s you want the cash. Now that I am late 20’s, I flip for those kitchen tools! Maybe because I am a blogger now and I make so many recipes, but if someone asks me what I want for Christmas it’s something that I can use in the kitchen. I currently have my eye on one of those food savers that prevents me from throwing out veggies I haven’t eaten, a pink Kitchen aid mixer, food steamer, and anything that I can buy in Williams Sonoma. I’ve talked about WS before. I rarely buy anything when I go in there. I just love to look at all the shiny tools, and smell that glorious aroma. Maybe I should work there part time on the weekends. 😉

Williams Sonoma

Anyway, so I started thinking about the panic we all feel with the holidays. Getting all our shopping in, cooking done, and traveling. One of the BIG problems as a health conscious person is diet. The holidays are filled with scrumptious treats and while I’d love to gobble all of them, I’d rather not start my new year trying to run off the 10 pounds I gained from sugar cookies. So what do we do? Well I’m hoping you guys could tell me, but in the meantime, here are a few of my thoughts for sticking to your goals during the holiday season.

Christmas Sweater

 Aw, Phoebs in a Christmas sweater!

  1. Don’t start a new diet. This goes without saying. You are just setting yourself up for failure to start something strict around the holidays. It’s just torture for yourself.
  2. Indulge a little, but don’t over do it. 100% guaranteed I’m having sugar cookies (my favorite), but that will be my cheat choice. I’m not going to go in the kitchen and kill 5 brownies, peppermint bark, pecan pie, and a ham.
  3. Bring your own dish. If you have a party planned, bring something you can eat. A veggie tray, a healthy dip, fruit salad, etc.
  4. Keep with your exercise program. Just because it’s the holiday season, doesn’t mean the gym closes. If you had a little too much, just burn it off later.
  5. Don’t let others force you. This is a HUGE one for me. I actually get offended when people force food on me. If I want to eat it I will. It has nothing to do with the person or what they made. I have goals and live a healthy lifestyle, I don’t like when people try to sabotage or look down on you for sticking with your plan.
  6. Sign up for fun races and events. The holidays are filled with charity races and fitness activities. There are “turkey trots” (a run), spin-a-thons (my gym has a 2 hour gym session every Thanksgiving morning), and Jingle Bell runs. Find something in your area to stay active!
  7. ENJOY! Don’t come down on yourself if you had a bad cheat day. Just start fresh the next day and don’t make it a vicious circle. And NEVER skip meals or starve because you ate bad the day before. It only screws up your metabolism and that cookie will stick!

Thanksgiving is about two weeks away, holy cow! Last year I was vegetarian, so this time I’m looking forward to that big bird.

Skinny Minnie Thanksgiving

My plate last year.

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Yesterday at work I went back to my big JUG O’ WATER. I believe I initially called it Waterpalooza. I actually do MUCH better with my water intake when the huge jug is in front of me. I can’t always do it since I have OR cases, but on days I don’t, I’d like to bring my jug again. I usually drink a lot during the day anyway, but I never keep track of how many times I refill my bottle. Plus I felt really bloated yesterday, so trying to flush out some of this stuff. 😉

water jug refill

Well the only downside to the water? You guessed it. I pee every 10 minutes. Quite annoying. I can only do it when I’m not in the operating room, so I’m taking full advantage.

I finished my jug by gym time and even though I was extremely tired (I never get enough rest on Sunday nights), I made the best of it and went. I definitely felt like I sweat out a lot of the water! Wow. I did 20 minutes on the arc trainer, 20 on the stair master. I usually only do 30 minutes of cardio on work days, but I felt a bit puffy. My strength training was basic bicep work:

  • Alternating bicep curls, 15 lb kettles, 20 reps x 4 sets
  • Side bicep curls, 15 lb kettles, 10 reps x 4 sets
  • Hammer curls with 35 lb plate, 8 reps x 2 sets (too heavy for my back so I could only do 2 sets)
  • Reverse bicep curl (overhand grip), 20 lb bar, 8 reps x 4 sets
  • Wide grip Bicep curls with 30 lb bar, 10 reps x 4 sets
  • Shoulder level bicep squeeze (like a flex-opening and closing), 12 lb weights, 10 reps x 3 sets

I didn’t take any gym pics because I wanted to get in and out, but I snapped a pic at home!

IMG_2340

You would think these pictures are a couple hours apart, nope! The second I’m in the door it’s time for jammies! They’re so comfy 🙂

Today is usually a rest day for me, but I think I will go to the gym to make my Tuesday extra special.

XOXO With a Cherry On Top,

-Minnie

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One Comment

  1. Chelsea @ A Fit LittleOne

    Lucky for me, I don’t like the holiday food. I love the desserts though hahaha. But I tend to just stay away from them because they aren’t anything that I can’t say no to, and I don’t want to end up sick due to food allergies. And when I really want that food, I just think of how I will feel the next day, I never feel too good, usually an upset stomach and I just don’t feel good physically. Oh my gosh, Phoebe in that sweater is too cute!! Have a great Tuesday 🙂

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