The most wonderful time of year is coming soon…the holidays. We will be cuddling up to fireplaces and spending time with our families. We will be splurging on presents and celebrating with old friends. We will be having a well deserved rest after finals, and nuzzling up in our cozy beds. And most of all we will be eating. No matter what you may celebrate over the holidays, they all include lots and lots of food. After a long time scrounging in Umph or ordering take out, homemade cookies, candies, and feasts will be looking better than ever. So, what better time to lose weight than right before the holidays. First, we may want to shed off those few pounds we gained before seeing friends and family. Second, we want to look good in our holiday attire. And third, we want to be able to eat without feeling guilty.
To start, eating healthy is really important. If you choose to include a gracious amount of alcohol in your diet, you’re going to need to balance it out. Which means the best thing you can do when you’re terribly hungover is go workout and not eat the junk food that you want oh so badly. If you have a meal plan at Umph, you don’t have a lot of choices. Get creative. Make a salad at the salad bar, and find chicken or a protein to put on top. Eat the eggs. Don’t eat a triple cheese bacon omelet. Eat an egg white omelet with spinach, or a regular omelet with ham/turkey and vegetables. Bail on the cheese. Check out the healthy choice/ vegetarian options even if you’re a huge carnivore. Sometimes they have broccoli and other vegetables that are good.
Whole foods has become one of my obsessions. It’s amazing. The pre-made food they serve is so cheap. They have an incredible salad bar which will cost you under $10.00. Load your salad with all their toppings and it’s so filling and much healthier than anything else. Their fruit is also amazing, and organic. Organic is important! It is worth the extra money to eat healthy and good quality food. Eatzi’s is great too, but a little more expensive. Central Market is also a well known grocery store. They have great options for to-go food as well. If you want a crash diet, cut down your carb intake. It’s ok to eat carbs/junk food every once in awhile, just don’t make a habit of it.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. If you don’t like going to the gym, find a group x fitness class (kickboxing is one of the best). Signing up for the class will make you get up and go. If you go to the gym, find a workout plan that works best, so you don’t wonder around, and find a time that works in your schedule each day and write it in your calendar. If you want to veer away from SMU, there are many other good choices. Bikram yoga is so good for you! There is a bikram yoga place right on Mockingbird. Also, any pilates and barre classes are great. If you aren’t so flexible, there are many fitness classes/boot camps in the area that focus more on toning your body. However you choose to get in shape, let it become a habit. Once it is part of your daily routine, its easier to get up and go. It’s fun to get back in shape and once you accomplish your goals, you can head home for the holidays feeling great.