Thanksgiving to Christmas is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year. I love all things that have to do with the holidays! From the decorations to the food…to the FOOD!!! But, being that I am also a complete health and fitness nut, I also have learned several tricks to both enjoy the holidays and celebrate the food without ruining all the hard work I put in at the gym. November and December are filled with work functions and family gatherings that can make it hard to keep up with your regular gym routine. So, I have put together a quick little cheater guide to help you stay on track for those 35 action-packed days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And…you don’t have to skip a single piece of Pumpkin Pie or Christmas cookie to do them. You get to ENJOY them!

1. GET A BUDDY! A workout buddy that is. It’s always so much easier to stick to a workout schedule when you have someone else relying on you to be their other half. Make a plan with your buddy that you will attend 2-3 fitness classes a week together at the gym. Pencil it in and make the scheduling stick so that you are both accountable to each other and you will both reap the rewards. If you can’t make it to the gym, schedule a time every night to meet after dinner for a walk around the neighborhood. You can catch up on mom life gossip and stay active at the same time.
2. STAY ACTIVE! Even if the weather starts to get a little colder and you think it would be fun to stay indoors, don’t! Get out there and get moving. It doesn’t HAVE to be in the gym. If you live in California like me, take your workout to an Ice Skating rink, Roller Skating rink or park! If you live in a snowy climate, get out there with your friends and family and hike or build a snowman together. Anything that will keep you moving!!
3. TREAT YOURSELF! With all the holiday sales, you are bound to find a good deal on new fitness apparel or equipment. Sometimes, new workout gear is just the thing you need to give you that little push to get to the gym and get moving. Looking good leads to feeling good so what better place to start?
4.  START A FITNESS FAMILY TRADITION! Our family does a big family walk to the park after our Thanksgiving Feast. There is a huge park with a lake right across the street. So, as soon as we’ve given Thanks for an amazing meal, we take a walk over to the park, feed the ducks, play a little football and keep it active! What better way to stay active than doing it with family?
5. BECOME A SHOP-A-HOLIC (with a cause)! Chances are good that you will have to get your Christmas shopping done sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas right? So, what better way to get moving that becoming a mall rat! It’s the perfect solution because again, you can kill two birds with one stone. Grab a buddy, walk the mall and check off all those Christmas list items! It’s genius, right? Thank me later!
6. SET A GOAL!  There’s no rule that says resolutions can only be made for New Years! Small, attainable goals are the best kinds to make. You can set a small goal that is easy to achieve and will help you make it through those busy 35 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whether it’s increasing the number of miles in your run every week or just making a goal of walking an extra lap around the park each day, small, tangible goals are easy and effective ways to make positive changes in your life!

Let’s be honest, chances are good that every one of us will put on a few extra pounds over the holidays but this cheater guide will help you to keep the “few” pounds to a respectable number. After all, the holidays are all about celebrating and we love that! But being that it’s always so much harder to take the weight off than it is to put it on, why not help yourself out a little and just take a few cheater tips to becoming successful this holiday season! Successfully fit and healthy!