Hi Fit Moms!! Are we ready for the holidays?? I know I’m not…too much for a busy mom to think about, right? Well, one thing we NEED to think about and PREPARE for is all the yummy food that is headed our way! Whether it be parties, Thanksgiving weekend (I say weekend because in reality, the Thanksgiving “food” lasts longer than one day! Can you say, “leftovers”?), edible gifts, and pretty much the entire month of December, including New Years! We are hit with a month and a half of alcohol and rich foods that contain a lot of calories, sugar, and fat. But, they taste so good, it’s hard to resist, right??? WRONG! I’m here to give you some ideas to enjoy the holiday season, while keeping those extra pounds at bay.

First, the most important part, is to recognize that you are going to be faced with making choices all season long. Make a commitment to yourself now that enjoying the holidays doesn’t mean eating your way through them! Think ahead, and how the beginning of the year is going to feel when you have an extra 10-12 pounds to loose because you couldn’t control your eating.  No one wants that.

Secondly, look at your calendar and prepare yourself. You’ll know ahead of time when parties and holiday gatherings are going to take place. On the days that you don’t have a celebration, be disciplined with your eating. Try to stay within your calorie limits, don’t cheat, and workout a little longer/harder to make up for those calories you’ll enjoy later.

Next, eat a small meal right before you go to your party so you don’t over-indulge. If you do choose to have a drink, make it a wine spritzer or a vodka-soda…stay away from high-calorie drinks that include kalua and egg nog. Fill your plate first with fruit and veggies before you hit the dessert table. DO NOT “hang out” in the kitchen or near the buffet table, you will only eat more because it’s there!

Edible gifts….during the holiday season people love to bake and give goodies as gifts! Learn to re-gift or share these tasty treats. If you are planning your own party, and have the control of planning the menu, find recipes that are healthy and low calorie. Believe me, people will thank you!

Lastly, work out harder!! It is true that we ALL eat and drink more during the holidays, so plan accordingly! Add 15 more minutes to your cardio workout, bump up your level on the elliptical, or add another day to your week.

You can get through this holiday season without putting on those extra pounds, you just have to plan and be smart!!

Fit Moms, you’ll do great!!!! Enjoy the holidays for what they are meant to be about…be thankful, celebrate life, and spend quality time with family and friends!!

Orange County, Ca

I know there has to be some of you besides me, that enjoy cleaning and organizing your home.

So I say; why not combine the two? YES… feather two nests with one duster.

Mother of 2, CEO and Master Organizer of "Organize Yourselves" a home organization company

On each Fit Chat with Annett Davis, Olympian & Pro Beach Volleyball Player, founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids Club Annett Davis chats with various moms, celebrities, & experts about family, fitness, and fun! This week’s Fit Chat interview is with Lisa from WorkoutMommy.com.  Lisa is a mom of 3 who has a blog to encourage and inspire moms through her journey to “never underestimate the power of a workout.”  In this podcast Lisa shares some creative ways for busy moms to workout, how she struggled to kick the soda habit, some of her favorite workout products, and more.

If you’d like to subscribe to Fit Chat with Annett Davis, so you won’t miss an interview click here.

Hi Fit Moms!! I hope you are enjoying my blogs about post pregnancy weight loss, and that my ideas have helped some of you!! Today, I am breaking it down for all you moms….

Weight loss is a basic equation:

Calories In Versus Calories Out!!

It’s not about the Atkins diet, or drinking 3 shakes and a sensible meal, or doing 1000 hours of cardio!! You have to move more and eat less. However, this doesn’t mean you have to starve yourself. You should be able to enjoy your favorite foods, but watch your portions.

Here is a list that I give to all my clients to help them with their fitness goals:

1. I blogged about this in past months….get yourself a food journal and WRITE IN IT!!  It may sound tedious, especially for those who are “busy”….like all of us moms, but it works. Write down EVERYTHING you EAT AND DRINK!! Write down what time this happens. You will start to see your habits in print. We tend to FORGET when we had a handful of goldfish or finished our kid’s PB and J; and this adds to our “Calories In”.  Fit Book is a great tool to use for tracking your goals!

2. Eat breakfast EVERY MORNING!! This will jump start your metabolism and stop you from binging later on in the day…..very important!

3. Make it a point to move everyday….some days you might not have a sitter or have the time, but a 20 minute brisk walk/jog outside will help.

4. When you do have a chance to workout, make the most of it!! Go hard and take advantage of that time. Work with weights or do interval training with your cardio. Last month I blogged about interval training be sure to check that out.

5. Don’t drink your calories. Forget the “Juice It Up” smoothies, the Starbucks Frappicinos, or the sodas….drink lots of water, Crystal Light, or regular unsweetened ice tea. I don’t know about you, but I want to EAT my calories, not drink them!

6. Eat every 3 hours…this will keep your metabolism HIGH (this is exactly what we want for weight loss) and it will keep your blood sugar stable so you don’t binge or overeat.

7. Don’t be afraid of lifting weights!!! I personally lift very heavy weights and haven’t been thinner!! You WILL NOT bulk up! This is a myth. Having more muscle on your frame will increase your metabolism.

8. Enjoy your favorite foods…don’t have dessert every night, but designate one night during the week to enjoy it and not feel guilty about it!

9. When you are planning your meals, try to include all three macro-nutrients (Protein, Carbs, and Fat). For protein, eat lean! For Carbs, eat complex. For fats, eat good (unsaturated).

10. Get support!! Get your friends and family on board with you! Find a workout partner!

Fit Moms – Stick to this list and you will start seeing results! Have fun with it!!

If you haven’t taken the pledge to be a Fit Mom with Fit Kids, do so now and spread the word!  We haven’t reached our 10,000 mark yet but we are on our way!  Sign up on the right side of the page.  Also, SUBSCRIBE! We need your help to reverse the trend of obesity in America.  It starts with YOU Fit Mom!  We can do it!

Orange County, Ca

woman drinking water- 123rf.com

woman & scale- trainermomma.blogspot.com