The holidays are here and for many of us that means visiting friends and relatives all over the country. Long hours in the car or at the airport can lead to consuming extra calories that won\u2019t satisfy hunger. While traveling during the holidays can throw off your workout routine, it doesn\u2019t have to. Check out our recommendations for a healthy and stress-free vacation, and come back your trip feeling confident, refreshed and fit.<\/p>\n
Save some room in your suitcase for workout clothes and healthy snacks. A pair of yoga pants and sneakers in your bag is a constant reminder to stay fit during holiday vacations, and the snacks will keep hunger at bay during long hours at the airport. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, adults gain an average of 1 to 5 pounds during the holidays, and most never lose that excess weight even when the season is over. Since it\u2019s hard to turn down a seasonal coffee drink or fast food meal at the airport, try to stave off overeating by packing light snacks. Healthy cereal for breakfast instead of scones or coffee cake and sliced fruit and vegetables instead of a large order of fries can make a big difference.<\/p>\n
Likewise, even if you don\u2019t have access to a gym membership, those fitness clothes can come in handy for spur-of-the-moment workouts during the holidays.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that portion control can help curb weight gain, but it\u2019s hard to turn down your mom\u2019s famous green bean casserole and mashed potatoes during holiday vacations. Instead, revert to the mindset of \u201ceverything in moderation\u201d. According to a study on portion control in the Journal of Health Psychology, research showed that participants were more likely to consume more when a large portion of food was in front of them, despite efforts to be mindful of calorie intake. Keep portions at bay by focusing on your favorite dishes and saving the rest for next year. Remember, you don\u2019t have to try everything at once. Carefully monitor what you want to eat the most, and take smaller portions of those foods. Don\u2019t deprive yourself with tiny portions, but at the same time, don\u2019t go overboard. You\u2019ll feel better after a meal and will have more energy to burn off those calories later.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t wait to start your morning workout while on vacation. The earlier you\u2019re up and ready to go, the more likely you\u2019ll be to complete your fitness routine. According to the Journal of Physiology, exercising before breakfast can help you maintain your shape. The study followed three groups of men for six weeks, giving them a diet high in calories and fat. One group of men did not exercise at all during the study and the other two groups had exhaustive workout routines\u2014one group had a large breakfast beforehand and the other group did not. At the end of the study, the only group that did not gain weight or experience insulin resistance was the men who did not eat breakfast before working out.<\/p>\n
Motivate yourself to take a long walk or do a quick abdominal workout before breakfast (and before the rest of your family wakes up!). You\u2019ll feel less guilt eating homemade meals and have the energy to build snow forts with your nieces and nephews.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The holidays are here and for many of us that means visiting friends and relatives all over the country. Long […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n