Let’s be honest, how many times can Aunt Shelley ask you if you want a piece of pumpkin pie until you cave and dig in?  During the holidays, it’s hard for people to maintain a healthy diet or to say “no” to the cookies, cakes, and other treats that seem to be everywhere.  But how can you go from splurging on stuffing on Thanksgiving to avoiding December’s desserts?  It’s just not that easy.

The number one thing you need to remember when trying to stay healthy this holiday season is to be patient.  A plate of lettuce isn’t going to look as appealing as it used to before the holidays arrived.  There’s no need to fret over how tight your skinny jeans might get.  There’s a way to get through this.

Most people have a pretty good workout routine when school’s in session. But once you skip a few days at the gym over winter break, you might lose your motivation to go back.  If you’re traveling over break, bring some workout essentials that are easy to pack and that will still keep you moving, even if you’re sharing a cramped room with two of your cousins at Grandma’s house.  Consider packing a jump rope, empty water bottles that can later be filled to serve as light weights (or milk or juice gallon containers for heavier weights), and a yoga mat.  With these few items, you can create your own workout…anywhere!

If you’re missing the gym while you’re at Grandma’s house, try using the guestroom as your “gym.”  If you want to tone your legs and your glutes, use a chair to perform chair-squats by placing your hands behind your head as you squat down, lightly tapping the chair with your bottom.

For some abdominal work, lie on the bed and place your hands behind your head and lift your legs to a 90 degree angle.  Next, cycle your legs like you’re riding a bike. The squishy bed makes it harder to balance, which can improve your core-stability.

If you’re looking for a workout to target the upper body, try including the bottles or weights by holding one in each hand while performing biceps curls.  If you want to try something more challenging, try holding them while performing lunges.

If these workouts aren’t enough for you to burn off that apple pie, try this holiday-inspired treat without the guilt:

Baked apple-cinnamon slices

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Peel and slice your favorite kind of apple.
• Place apples in a glass casserole dish.
• Sprinkle the apples with water (to soften them) and cinnamon (for flavor).
• Cover the dish in aluminum foil and place in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes.

And, here’s a list of alternatives to some notoriously unhealthy treats:

UNHEALTHY SNACK: ALTERNATIVE

• Hot cocoa: warm peppermint tea
• Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped cream: skinny latte with no cream
• An entire plate of cookies: a few cookies paired with some slices of fruit
• Caramel popcorn:  Regular popcorn tossed with olive oil and sea salt