How To Beat Holiday Bulge In 7 Ways

This Thursday officially marks the start of holiday eating, the season of excuses to indulge, be merry and forget about diet and exercise. But please don't! Today I am joining forces with my fellow beauty and lifestyle bloggers (linked below) to help you stay on track or jumpstart your fitness goal. Why wait for the new year if you can start now, procrastination is the biggest enemy to living healthy. Here's how you can beat the dreaded holiday bulge!

(1) If you are attending a party, eat healthy snacks before you leave home such as protein bar, carrot or celery sticks, vegan cookie, nuts or a small bowl of salad. This will help you curb your appetite and prevent over-indulging when you're at the party.

(2) Drink water before and in between meals. This will fill you up. Ditch the soda my friend. One 330 ml can of Coke has a staggering 9 teaspoons of sugar (reference 1 tsp per 4 gms sugar). Be wary of sugar that is disguised behind many names. Can you believe it's called 61 different ways? Top of mind are fructose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, barley malt, cane juice, cane sugar, corn syrup, etc.

(3) If you are the hostess, you are in control of what you can feed your guests. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian recipes that taste thousand times better than traditional and high-cholesterol, high-sugar and high-salt foods! Mind you, your guests are not going to die without meat in sight for 4 hours of partying. I know it sounds brutal but it's true! Why not have a theme for your party and for once, introduce your lovely guests to the wonderful, tasteful, and healthy plant-based holiday food. Need some recipes? if you like fancy vegan/vegetarian meals, follow AvanteGardeVegan on YouTube or if you like everyday food (think donuts, hotdogs, burgers, etc) cooked vegan way, watch Mary's Test Kitchen also on YouTube.

(4) Exercise! The cold weather makes it hard to get off our butts and sweat but you have come this far (or you are already bent on changing your sedentary lifestyle) so why allow yourself fall off the wagon? The hardest thing about exercise is not the routine itself but the motivation to do it. There are plenty of exercises available for free in YouTube, that saves you a whole lot of money!

(5) Get a fitness buddy. I'm 100% sure you have at least one friend who's into fitness and healthy lifestyle or wants to start one. Keep each other in check, go to the gym together, run together, go to the farmers' market together. There is strength in numbers.

(6) Buy cute fitness wear and rock that body! I know it sounds super trivial but instead of buying makeups or a new purse this holiday season for yourself (or loved one), why not switch it up for really cute and fun fitness wear? I feel good exercising when I know I look cute in my sports bra, harem pants, leggings or capris. It makes me sweat more if that even makes sense to you.

(7) Reward yourself. If you are trying to lose weight, set a goal and reward yourself once you reach that goal. Make the reward so attractive that it will motivate you to keep pushing yourself. I am not talking about a venti Starbucks caramel brulee frappucino that has 530 calories, 16 grams saturated fat, 84 grams sugar (21 teaspoons sugar!!!!). Think new wardrobe, out-of-town trip, body skin tightening, anything that will further boost your confidence and stamina.

Check out these amazing tips from my fitness buddies!