14 Influencers Reveal Their Holiday Fitness Secrets

From Redbook

It's the time of year when our schedules are filled to the brim with office parties, gatherings with friends and family, shopping, decorating, traveling, and—oh yeah—lots of delicious food. With such hectic schedules, our normal routines tend to get a bit out of whack, which can throw off our diet and exercise. To avoid gaining those extra holiday pounds, we looked to 14 nutritional, health, and fitness gurus for their best pieces of advice. Remember, everyone's body is different. You'll find several different tactics here, so try a few out, and decide what works best for you this holiday season.

1. "Enjoy the foods you love, but simply don't over indulge.”

"You can have an egg nog, but not 3. You can have a piece of pumpkin pie, but not that and stuffing and potatoes and rolls, etc. Honestly, common sense is simply key." — @jillianmichaels, Health and Fitness Expert and Creator of the My Fitness app

2. Make a solid plan.

"My best piece of advice to combat holiday weight is planning and consistency--plan ahead to incorporate healthy eating into your celebrations and keep up your workout routine. Remember, if you indulge in one meal, get right back on track in the next one. Most importantly, enjoy the holidays because we are here to also enjoy life, but remember the holidays are just that DAYS, not months! Wishing you all happy and healthy holidays!" — @anjagarcia, Trainer for Daily Burn and iFit

3. It's all about how you build your holiday plate.

"Prepare. Eat a small meal high in protein before going to Holiday events or parties. Limit your alcoholic beverages to one, fill your plate with the "good" stuff first (veggies and proteins), and only eat the small treats if you're still hungry after that. Plan and keep to your workout schedule." — @shonda1020

4. If you're traveling, pack your own snacks for the whole trip.

"Our biggest tip for staying on track through the holiday season is PLANNING: A failure to plan is a plan to fail, pure and simple! When we visit family, we're immediately tempted by naughty choices, so packing our own snacks and even our own Thanksgiving dessert is a must. We bring a little cooler packed with tons of fresh fruit & low-sugar, whole-grain treats. Our biggest trick is filling up on the good stuff so you don't reach for the bad." — @nycfitfam

5. A little cardio goes a long way.

"Avoid mixing fats with sugars in what you eat. Don't eat cheese or fatty foods with alcohol. Don't mix fruits or sugary foods with almonds or peanut butter. During the holidays people are more sedentary, so getting extra exercise in will prevent extra fat gain. The best is to do some cardio in a fasted state (morning is optimal), such as uphill walking, climbing stairs (or stair machine), or fast walking for 30-45 min. Take a tbsp of apple cider vinegar with warm water 30 min before. You can have green tea or black coffee after taking apple cider vinegar. The fasted cardio will help burn fat since there is no glycogen in the liver. The A.C.V. will encourage the liver to use fat for energy, and the green tea and coffee will increase fat loss as well." — @vanguard_fitness, Personal Trainer

6. Holiday dinner isn't your last meal, so try not to overeat.

"Don't approach the holidays like it's the last coming of food. Try to approach your day as you would a "normal" day. Get your workout in - break a sweat for at least 20 minutes. Don't skip meals before. Maybe keep them a bit lighter, but snacks are still so you don't go into a party or dinner atmosphere a ravenous animal! If you tend to overeat - make your plate like you would any other dinner. This isn't the last time you are eating. Most importantly, enjoy yourself and your company! Don't focus on the food as much as your friends and family." — @ashleybordenfitness, Trainer for Khloe Kardashian's 'Revenge Body' on E!

7. Don't let one meal derail your entire training plan.

"Festive meals and sweets are unavoidable during the holiday season, but the key is to immediately bounce back to your normal eating/exercise habits. One large meal is no big deal, but when you let it spiral into a pattern of overeating, the extra pounds can add up quickly." — @matttarter

8. "Enjoy that ONE day, and get right back on track.”

"Stepping foot in the gym or pressing play on that workout video IS THE hardest part of the workout. With the holidays, time is important, so put your best foot forward and make it happen. It’s a holiDAY, not a holiWEEK or a holiMONTH." — @ericafitlove, Trainer for 'The Biggest Loser' on USA Network

9. Depriving yourself too much could actually backfire.

"Don't be scared to enjoy the holiday foods, but do be mindful. Eat with intention and know when to stop! When you tell yourself that foods are "off limits," this leads to a feeling of deprivation and often an episode of eating an entire pie at your next holiday dinner! But if you allow yourself to indulge in moderation and stop after you've satisfied your pallet, then you have relieved that feeling of depriving yourself and shaved off what could have added a few extra pounds on the scale! Enjoy the holidays and your foods too!" — @laurenajohnsonn, RDN

10. Think about portion control.

"Drinking a tall glass of water prior to eating helps limit total food intake at holiday meals. Also, just because you are off from work for the holidays doesn’t mean you are off from working out—go for a walk or run or even do a body weight workout at home." — @chrisruden, 'Titan Games' on NBC

11. Know the difference between that extra slice of pie and binging.

"If you nurture your body, eating balanced and staying hydrated, consistently during the year, then the holiday season should be enjoyed without restrictions. Take the chance to relax. Don't worry about the calories or the macros, but respect your body: getting out of the plan doesn't need to become a binging event." — @verinha.s_fitside

12. Intermittent fasting allows for more calories at the holiday table.

“My best piece of advice for combating holiday weight, and what works best for me every year, is utilizing intermittent fasting. Pushing my ‘eating window’ towards later in the day gives me the opportunity to save my calories for the evening festivities. Plenty of water, black coffee, sparkling water, and keeping myself busy makes fasting throughout my morning a breeze!

Equally important to intermittent fasting, is my commitment to actively engaging in routine exercise. Making exercise a part of my daily routine remains a vital part of keeping weight off during the holidays. Whether it’s a quick walk in the neighborhood or a morning workout at the gym, every burned calorie counts!” — @alec_ohlaker, NOCCO Fitness Champion

13. "Don't overindulge, stay active, and enjoy your family and friends.”

"Stay diligent with your activity level, even small things like family walks after dinner or chasing the kids around in the backyard before breakfast add up. Don't turn into a couch potato and don't sweat the sweet potato pie... enjoy this time with your loved ones." —@patrickfrost2, Fitness Coach

14. A few days shouldn't throw you off entirely.

"Keep in mind that it's a holiDAY, not holiMONTHS. Your exercise & nutrition plan can easily be maintained on the days leading up to the holidays. Thanksgiving WEEK isn't an excuse to skip the gym & eat whatever, though Thanksgiving DAY might be!" —@han_camfit, Fitness Trainer

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