Dear Bill,
I knew it was only a matter of time before someone asked me how to stay in shape during the holiday season. You’re probably expecting me to tell you to stay on a strict diet, don’t eat any sweats and throw away anything in your house that tempts you, right! Well guess what I’m not going to tell you to do that because it would be nearly impossible not to mention boring. Besides you wouldn’t listen anyway. I believe if you try to be too strict you set yourself up for failure and you end up binge eating. Therefore I want you to make a list of the things you like to eat and allow yourself to have them over the holidays. So if you like pumpkin pie with 2 scoops of ice cream on top be my guest.

I guess by now you think I’ve lost my mind. Well hold on a minute there is a method to my madness. There is no doubt that most of us are going to eat more junk over the holidays. Therefore we must prepare so that we can enjoy ourselves.

I usually try to keep my diet sensible during the weeks prior to Christmas because I know that I will be eating more once the holidays arrive. I also know that I am more likely to eat more freely over the weekends so I try to eat fairly healthy during the week. I make sure that I don’t skip work outs because I want my metabolism to be ready to burn off the extra calories. I also try to gear my work outs toward my eating habits. In other words if I know that I will be eating more during a particular week I might do 5 cardio sessions that week instead of 3 or I might extend each session an extra ten minutes. I also find it helpful to add a couple of extra sets or repetitions to my weightlifting work outs to help compensate for my change in diet.