Monday, November 15, 2010

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.

The kind folks at Laughing Cow and BlogHer have posed this great question for this month's entry: How do you stay fit as the seasons change and all of the holiday temptations begin?

It's hard isn't it?  Grandma brings her Very Special Cookies that she made from scratch just for you.  Your company has a holiday party that hosts all you can eat gingerbread houses.  Your family ingests way too much on Thanksgiving Day.  Whatever your traditions usually entail, staying on course can be difficult.

For my family, Thanksgiving Day starts early in the morning and ends when the last person succumbs to sleep on the couch.  The typical Thanksgiving Day starts with before breakfast treats, then a big breakfast, after breakfast treats, pre-lunch snacks, lunch, pre-turkey teasers, the Thanksgiving meal, and finally dessert.  We're not just full for the dinner meal, we're full all day.

Me, my older sister, and my mom after the Turkey Trot, 2009
Last year, I decided that rather than trying to change that tradition, I'd start a new one.  I had recently gotten into racing and decided that our city's 5K "Turkey Trot" would be a great way to get up and go first thing on Thanksgiving morning.  I even lured my older sister and mom to walk the 2K.

Because I wanted to get my best racing time, I ran the 5K each of the days before the race.  This kept me busy AND not indulging in the fattening foods - no one feels good racing on a tummy full of macaroons.

When Thanksgiving Day came, I woke up early (a reason to not imbibe too much the night before) and ran my fastest 5K yet.  I finished the race being cheered on by my mom and older sister.  After that was over, I felt too good to re-fuel my body with junk.  I ate until I was satisfied and didn't stuff myself.

No matter what your traditions are, there's probably ways to work some exercise into the schedule.  Maybe it's a foot race on your lawn.  Maybe it's an impromptu game of football.  Or maybe it's a walk around the block in between dinner and dessert.

Whatever the case, I've found that getting a new activity that many people in the family can enjoy is a great way to keep fit and get a head start on those New Year Resolutions we're all so fond of breaking.

Now it's your turn - share tip on how you stay fit amid the holiday traditions and treats and you could win a $150 Visa card!

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