It's that time of year again when our healthy lifestyles are put to the test. Some call it the Bermuda Triangle of holidays— Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This year, don't let the holidays spoil your past successes! 

Think of October, November and December as a great opportunity to practice maintenance— whether it's maintaining your weight, your fitness level or any other healthy lifestyle change you've made.  Here are a few tips that can help take some stress out of your holiday season:

Set your goal(s). Write down what you want to accomplish in terms of maintenance over the holidays.  Be specific and make your goal(s) measurable. Then determine the specific actions you will take to accomplish your goals.  For example, I give myself a 3 pound weight range that I can float in over the holidays— it's my maintenance zone.  I weigh myself at roughly the same time each morning to determine where I am in the zone.  If I hit the upper end of the zone it's time to either increase my exercise intensity or duration and/or reduce my food intake until I'm comfortably back in the zone.

Plan Ahead.  This is one of the most common practices of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off.  The holidays can be a hectic time and planning your meals in advance will help you manage the additional calories that come with all of the festivities.  For example, If you have a party to attend on Friday night, make adjustments in your eating or exercise plans to accommodate a few extra calories from the party.

Keep a Food Journal. This is another practice that will give you a good picture of your food intake and it can really help you stay on course.  Keeping an accurate food journal means writing down everything that you consume and it's a good idea to include your portion sizes as well.  Remember— if you nibble it, scribble it; if you bite it, write it; if you snack it, track it and if you drink it, ink it! 

Make Exercise a Family Affair. If you can't find the time to do your normal workout for at least 30 minutes a day, then get the whole family involved.  Take walks together, go dancing, have a snowball fight, learn to ice-skate, or play tag with the kids.  The idea is to find activities that are not only fun, but that will get your body moving and increase your heart rate.  Visit the Activity Calorie Calculator to find some fun ideas for family exercise that will boost your activity level.

Plan on a set-back or two.  You can't expect yourself to be perfect—set-backs happen to all of us. Never beat yourself up about them.  Instead, take a breath, review the situation and hit an imaginary reset button to get yourself back on track. 

Make one of your goals this year to have a holiday season filled with joy and fun— free from worry that you'll wipe out your recent exercise and weight management successes. Turn the Bermuda Triangle of holidays into an annual maintenance holiday!

Health, Happiness and Happy Holidays!

Vicki Pierson
Fitness Partner, Founder
ACE Certified Personal Trainer