20 Healthy Ways to Eat, Drink and Be Merry

1. Don't have time to workout?  Shorten up your workouts.  Every workout doesn't need to be 60 minutes long, which seems to be the standard time for a workout.  You can get a quality 20-30 minute workout in when you are pressed for time.
2. Make sure you eat before going to that holiday party.  Don't save your self for the party because then you are going to be more likely to overeat.  Maintain your normal eating schedule.
3. Do not wait for New Years to start exercising and eating right.  Get started on it now.
4. Just because desserts are in abundance doesn't mean you have to eat them in abundance.  Pick one dessert you really like and go with it.
5. Body weight can be used as resistance.  Getting a workout in doesn't mean you have to go to the gym.  A workout consisting of body weight exercises such as push up variations, plank variations, squats, squat jumps, lunges, burpees, etc. can do the trick.
6. So you did enjoy that holiday party a little too much?  Try to fast for an extended period of time the following day.
7. Don't have time for a "cardio" session?  Good. Do a 12-15 minute interval session instead.
8. Keep your protein, vegetable and water intake up to stave off any cravings.
9. A few drinks here and there is fine.  A lot of drinks here and there is not so fine.
10. Because everyone else is overdosing on cookies and egg nog doesn't mean you have to.  Because everyone else is skipping their workouts doesn't mean you have to.  Be yourself.
11. Try to maintain your normal sleep schedule.  
12. Chill out.  Stop stressing over which ugly sweater to purchase for your loved one.  High stress means high cortisol levels.  High cortisol levels means an expanding waistline.
13. Keep your workouts simple.  Now is not the time to start experimenting with stuff you have never done before.  
14. Use your body weight exercises as a measure of where you are at.  If push ups or chin ups are getting harder as the days and weeks go you are either not keeping up with your workouts or having a few too many Christmas cookies.
15. Dropping the volume of your workouts means you want to keep the intensity of your workouts up.  
16. Forget about fat loss in the gym.  Focus on strength.  Focus on fat loss outside the gym by trying to keep your nutrition in check.
17. If you are currently keeping a food log do not stop keeping a food log just because it's the holiday season.  If you are not keeping a food log, it might be a good time to start.  Each day during the holidays counts just as much any other day during any other month.
18. Allow yourself some extra carbs on days that you get a workout in.  Days that you are not working out focus on keeping your vegetable intake high.
19. Plan ahead.  You know how much shopping you have to do.  You know when the parties are.  Know when you are going to get your workouts in.  Get them on your schedule.
20. Don't accept the fact that average American gains weight during the holidays.  The holidays are an excuse to gain weight, not a reason to gain weight.  And who wants to be average anyway?

Happy Holidays!