Eat the damn pie. That’s what the head fitness trainer for Born Fitness, B.J. Ward, recommends as his strategy for the holidays. Sounds easy, right? Not so fast, stretchy pants. Yes, enjoy the holidays but do it the smart way with two simple tactics.
Work out the day of your big celebratory meal. Ward says that one of the keys to indulging is earning it.
“Do a hard workout the day of your big meal if you can. That way you’re shuttling those extra calories to a more useful place, like building muscle or recovery. Aim for strength training, whether you’re using weights or body weight. The key is to push yourself—lots of sets and reps, whatever you can handle,” says Ward.
Enjoy your meal. Ward says to treat your meal like a cheat day. Eat whatever you want for your holiday party or meal, enjoy your time with friends and family. But when you’re full, push away from the table.
‘The trouble we get into is thinking that because you indulged at one meal, you should do that for the next few weeks. Pretty soon eating a full Thanksgiving meal turns into a free-for-all until New Year’s. Enjoy your grandma’s pie but the next day, get back on track with your normal routine,” says Ward.
Ward says that holiday weight maintenance is all about seeing the big picture. “You never know how many meals or holidays you’ll have with your loved ones. Enjoy those times. Your healthy template will be there the next day.”
Now that’s a holiday eating plan we can get behind. Pass the eggnog!
