It’s that time of year again: the holidays. Yes, there’s a ton of festive fun from November through New Year’s, but there’s also a lot of food and stress, which can lead to weight gain. To battle the holiday bulge, we’re calling on all our favorite fitness and nutrition experts to share their healthy holiday strategies, starting with Babette Nolton. The 43-year-old fitness instructor at Scottsdale Lifetime Fitness has the body of a 20-year-old and the energy to match. Here, she shares her best healthy holiday tips…
Think quality of workouts, not quantity. It’s impossible not to miss workouts when trying to juggle holiday parties and work events. If I only have one or two days to workout in a week, I make sure I bring it. I focus more on high intensity, calorie-burning workouts like Insanity, Kickboxing and Total Body Conditioning. These workouts involve the larger muscles and quick movements; they’re exhausting while doing them but so worth it in the end. My goal is to burn burn burn calories!
Avoid going to a party on empty stomach. Have a piece of fruit and a high-protein snack (like nuts) first. Fruit is low-calorie and can decrease sugar craving and the protein helps curb your appetite before you over-indulge at the food table.
Just nibble on the naughty stuff like cookies, desserts and chocolates. When it comes to eating dessert, I jump in with both feet. I like the real deal, not the healthy version. That said, knowing my favorite desserts have extra fat and calories, I taste with one or two (small) bites just to satisfy my taste buds, then move on. And avoid leaving parties with leftovers dessert treats – leave them at the party!
Avoid the FOO-FOO drinks. Cocktails made with cream and fruit juices add extra sugar and unwelcomed calories. My drink of choice is flavored vodka with club soda and a splash of lime or red wine. Alternate your mixed drink with a full glass of water; that way you’ll always have a drink in your hand.
