It’s the holidays; cookies and fudge are going to happen

It’s not too early (or too late) to be mindful of your eating habits through the holiday season.

“The first thing I tell people is ‘this is not the time of year to try to lose weight,’” said Cyndi Shatswell, fitness director for the Yuba City Racquet Club. “It’s the time of year to maintain.”

She said it’s important to remain realistic with your habits through the holiday season. Here are some tips:

When tasked with bringing a dish to a holiday party, you should be the one to bring something that other mindful eaters would enjoy, and not the dreaded vegetable tray. Shatswell recommends checking Pinterest for recipe ideas that are healthier and still delicious.

Before leaving the house, drink a large glass of water and eat a large salad so you’re not as tempted to eat large helpings at a party.

Shatswell also recommends against the usual advice of wearing looser-fitting clothes – tighter jeans will remind you not to over-indulge.

Don’t stand and socialize next to the hors d’oeuvre table and if drinking alcohol, be sure to drink one full glass of water in between drinks. That will keep you from becoming dehydrated as well as slow down your calorie consumption.

Some form of exercise each day is also important to maintaining through the holiday season. Shatswell said to take 20 to 30 minutes each day to go on a walk, go to the gym, do yoga or bust out some cans of soup or bags of rice to do lifting exercises and break a sweat.

She said it’s cumulative – you can do an activity 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening versus one chunk at one time. With millions of videos on Youtube, there are countless ways to squeeze a quick workout in between work and play.

“Like anything important in your life, schedule it,” Shatswell said.

People gain an average of 7 pounds to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year, she said, so this time of year is one of the few times you should aim to be below average. While she’s not a huge proponent of stepping on the scale, she recommends weighing yourself before Thanksgiving and again on New Year’s Day.

“Cookies and fudge are going to happen, it’s all about how you handle it,” Shatswell said. “What’s life without those things? Very boring.”